By Augustine Ehikioya
Police officials in Delta State have arrested four armed robbery suspects during stop and search operation.
Items recovered from them included one revolver pistol, one locally made gun, forty-two rounds of live ammunition and cartridges.
This was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by Police Public Relations Officer, Delta State Command, DSP Edafe Bright, and made available to Security Watch Africa (SWA).
The statement disclosed some of the command’s recent successes.
It said “On the 26/11/21 at about 2315 hours, Anti-Crime patrol team attached to Ekpan Police Station while on visibility patrol/stop and search duty flagged down a motorcycle with three occupants by Benjones in Hausa Market along NPA Expressway, Warri.
“The suspects alighted from the motorcycle and one of them surprisingly shot at the team but the team who were strategically positioned returned same.
“During the gun duel, one of the suspects named Yusuf Ibrahim ‘M’ age 27, was shot on his left foot which brought him down and he was arrested along with the rider of the motorcycle one Hashimu Garba ‘M’ 30yrs of Mami Market, Effurun while the third suspect escaped.
“Exhibit recovered includes one cut-to-size locally made single barrel gun, three live cartridges and two expended cartridges. Manhunt for the fleeing suspect is ongoing,” it stated.
Giving details of another case, the statement said “Similarly, on 19/11/2021 at about 1530hrs Kwale Divisional Patrol team while on stop and search duty along Afieze Street, Kwale intercepted one Qlink motorcycle with reg no EHR 609 LU with two occupants namely Ohajiaka Sunday ‘M’ aged 24yrs of Ogwu Ikpere Community of Ogbaru LGA in Anambra State and one Rukevwe Jagu ‘M’ aged 24yrs of same address but a native of Oriah in Abraka.
“Upon searching the suspects one locally made revolver pistol loaded with one live ammunition, forty two (42) rounds of assorted live ammunition, several charms and the sum of N103,500 were recovered from them.”
The statement said investigation is still ongoing on the matter.
The Commissioner of Police, Delta state, CP Ari Muhammed Ali, according to the statement, said stop and search is an important part of proactive policing.
The CP said it is far better to “take the fight to the door step of criminals, arrest and prosecute them even before they carry out their nefarious activities.
“The command has recorded yet another round of success in the fight against crime and criminality and the CP has assured Deltans that the Command will continue to sustain this tempo with a view to seeing that the state is safe for all,” it stated.