By Augustine Ehikioya
Moving against crime in Delta State, Police Operatives in gun duel with kidnappers have fatally wounded three suspected kidnappers.
Two members of the kidnap gang managed to escape the gun fire exchange.
Also after raiding a criminal hideout in an uncompleted building, Police Officials in the State arrested a suspected armed robber with many items recovered.
These were contained in a statement issued on Monday by the Police Public Relations Officer, Delta State Command, DSP Edafe Bright, and made available to Security Watch Africa (SWA).
It said “On 5/6/2022 at about 1235hrs, Operatives of Command’s Rapid Response Squad while on undercover anti-crime patrol along Asaba/Benin expressway, some armed hoodlums suspected to be kidnappers numbering about five (5) suddenly emerged from the bush around Umunede, and fired gunshots at the space bus in an attempt to rob and possibly kidnap the occupants but unknown to them that the occupants were undercover Police Operatives.
“The team smartly disembarked from the vehicle and returned fire. The Armed hoodlums on realizing that their potential victims were Policemen ran into the bush.
“The team went into a fierce gun duel with the hoodlums during which three (3) members of the gang were fatally wounded and one fabricated revolver pistol, six (6) 7.62mm live ammunition, four (4) expended 7.62mm ammunition were recovered from them.
“The injured hoodlums were taken to the hospital but died while receiving treatment. Manhunt for the fleeing members of the gang is ongoing,” it added.
Citing another case, the statement said “On 04/06/2022 at about 1445hrs, acting on a tip-off, operatives of the Command’s Anti-Cult Unit, raided a criminal hideout in an uncompleted building along Mariam Babangida Way opposite North- West filling Station Asaba, Delta State.
“During which five hundred and forty (540) rounds of live cartridges, three (3) Elepac Generators, one solar light, one (1) singer sewing machine, two (2) television sets and one (1) Lifan motorcycle all suspected to have been stolen were recovered and the suspect named Suleiman Musa ‘m’ age 48yrs was arrested. Investigation is ongoing.”
It also said “On 5/6/2022 at about 1600hrs, Operatives of Eagle-Net Special Squad while on Aberdeen system of patrol along Asaba/Ogwashi-Uku expressway, intercepted a commercial vehicle which they subjected to search, during which four thousand and fifty-four (4054) wraps of substance suspected to be Cocaine, nine hundred and fifty-four (954) wraps of heroines were recovered on a bag belonging to one of the passengers named Edea Samuel ‘m’ age 20yrs of Ochele Street, off Ojugbana Drive, Ezenei, Asaba.”
The statement noted that investigation is ongoing on the matter.
While assuring residents of the State, the statement said, the Commissioner of Police, Ari Muhammed Ali, insisted that the Command is more than ever before “committed and determined to flush out all criminal minded persons in the State.”
He urged them to be mindful of any suspicious persons or movements in their environment and promptly report such to the Police.