Police nab 16 suspects in Delta, seize guns and stolen car

The Delta State Police has arrested 16 suspects and recovered two guns, a stolen Toyota Camry, and some suspected illegal drugs in different operations across the state.

The police stated that these operations disrupted a suspected cult meeting, stopped an alleged extortion attempt at a construction site, and led to the arrest of suspects involved in drug-related activities.

In a statement on Thursday from the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, it was revealed that eight suspects were caught during a raid on a suspected cult gathering in Aragba-Orogun. This operation was conducted by the Command Anti-Cult Unit in Ozoro, based on reliable information about a planned cult meeting.

The suspects include Godspower Achubue, 27; Ziden Edem, 27; Kingsley Aniefem, 36; Omita John, 22; Onumu Happy, 22; Kenneth Ukpurakpo, 22; Juliet Festus, 26; and Oghenegueke Okuanah, 22, according to the statement.

After the raid, police executed a search warrant at one suspect's home. They found a pump-action gun and one live cartridge during the search.

In another operation, police from the Okpanam Division arrested Collins Dunkun, 30, after a report of an alleged extortion attempt at a construction site on September 8. The police said Dunkun and others invaded the site, stopped workers, seized their tools, and demanded N700,000 to let the work continue.

Six other suspects managed to escape, but a search of Dunkun uncovered a locally made single-barrel pistol and one cartridge. Police are still trying to catch the suspects who fled.

Also on September 8, police from the Divisional Surveillance Team raided an unfinished building at King Zanga in the Ugbuegwai Community of Warri. This was after receiving information about suspected drug activities.

During this operation, five suspects were arrested: Rabi’u Salihu, 26; Salisu Suleiman, 23; Rabilu Ali, 24; Alhassan Mohd Mansur, 28; and Aliyu Abubakar, 25. Authorities found substances believed to be Indian hemp, Codeine, Colorado, Rizla, SK, and Canadian Loud at the site.

In a separate operation in Ekpan, police arrested two suspects, Destiny Suleman, 41, and Samuel Ejiro, 21, and recovered a stolen Toyota Camry. The brown Toyota Camry Pencil Light with registration number BEN-572BT was reportedly taken from Benin City on September 7.

Police from the Ekpan Division traced the vehicle through intelligence work to the New Era area of Jakpa Road, Ekpan. They set up an ambush and caught the two suspects.

The Commissioner of Police for Delta State, CP Samuel E. Erale, warned that cultism, illegal gun possession, extortion, drug activities, and other crimes will not be accepted in the state. Erale stated, "Cultism, unlawful possession of firearms, extortion, illicit drug activities and other criminal acts will not be tolerated in the State."

He added, "The command will continue to take proactive measures to prevent crime, dismantle criminal networks and bring offenders to justice."

The suspects are now in police custody while investigations continue into these cases.