Reported By Mary Udezue | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Asaba — The Delta State Police Command has announced the arrest of ten suspected kidnappers and armed robbers and the recovery of arms and other incriminating items in a series of intelligence‑led operations across the state, the Command said in a statement on Thursday, January 22, 2026.
According to the Delta Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, operatives of the Special Anti‑Kidnapping and Cybercrime Squad (SAKCC) acted on credible intelligence in the early hours of January 20, 2026, around 4:30 a.m., to track down and dismantle criminal hideouts linked to a syndicate involved in kidnapping and armed robbery activities in communities including Obinoba, Obiaruku, Abraka and Ororokpe along the Jedo/Ugboton–Warri axis. Upon storming one suspected stronghold, two principal suspects — Oke Jerry Ekokodjie and another identified only as Ibori — were arrested along with three other members of the gang, while some others fled through nearby waterways. Among the items recovered were an AK‑47 rifle with 12 rounds of live ammunition, a locally fabricated Beretta‑style pistol with three rounds, a black Mercedes‑Benz GLK vehicle, a battle axe, illicit substances in commercial quantity and a Point‑of‑Sale (POS) machine believed to have been used to launder proceeds of crime. The suspects are currently in custody as investigations continue and efforts are ongoing to apprehend fleeing gang members.
In a separate but related operation in Amai Community, Ndokwa East Local Government Area at about 2:56 a.m. on January 22, 2026, officers from the Obiaruku Division executed a targeted raid on a suspected cultists’ hideout. Five additional suspects were apprehended — identified as Frank Etiyemonu, Chinedu Emeka, Festus Nwadiche, Azuju Onowu, and Ozor Blessing — following a search that uncovered illegal weapons and contraband, including a locally made pistol, two battle axes, quantities of Indian hemp and other suspected hard drugs.
The police said that both operations reflect the Command’s commitment to proactively tackling violent crimes, including kidnapping, armed robbery and illegal arms possession, and ensuring public safety. Command authorities are expected to present the suspects and seized exhibits to the Criminal Investigation Department for further processing and eventual prosecution.
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