By Augustine Ehikioya
Police officers in Delta State have cracked armed robbery gang and arrested suspects in the State.
They also arrested cultists and recovered locally made guns, cartridges, motorcycle, stolen/abandoned vehicle.
A press statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, Delta State Command, DSP Bright Edafe, and made available to Security Watch Africa (SWA) on Friday, disclosed that one suspect died during the operations.
He said “The Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, CP Ari Muhammed Ali, has directed all Area Commanders, DPOS, and Tactical Commanders to embark on serious raid of criminal hideouts and constant visibility while also urging members of the public to be law abiding to make policing much more easier.
“He also assures members of the public that efforts currently been put in place to ensure peace and security will be sustained.
“In the fight against crime and criminality, the Command has recorded some successes as follows: On 16/09/2021 at about 1320hrs, DPO ‘A’ Division, Warri, CSP T.Y Mahmud led the Divisional Rapid Respond Team on observation/visibility patrol along Warri-Sapele Road by Warri Club, information got to the DPO that a three-man armed robbery gang robbed an unknown victim and that they are operating in a Black Toyota Corolla car with registration number RBC 218 BL grey in colour, the team extended their patrol further with a view to arresting the gang, the armed robbers on sighting the Police fired at the men and during the gun duel, one of the armed robbers sustained serious gun shot injury while two others escaped with bullet wound.
“The injured suspect was rushed to the hospital where he gave up the ghost while receiving treatment. The suspect before he died gave his name as Andrew and admitted to being a member of the dreaded Imomotimi group, a dare devil gang that has been on the Command’s wanted list.
“One locally made pistol loaded with a live cartridge, One Hundred and Thirty Thousand Naira, one small Nokia phone and the above stated Toyota Corolla were recovered,” he said.
Edafe went on “On 15/09/2021 at about 0100hrs, Isiokolo Divisional patrol team in conjunction with Vigilante while on stop and search along Okpara – Okurekpo Road, Isiokolo flagged down a lady’s motor cycle with three (3) passengers.
“Upon reasonable suspicion they were searched and during the search, one cut-to- size locally made double barrel gun was recovered from one of the passengers named Oghenenyerhovwo Solomon ‘m’ of Uruegbe Street, Okpara.
“He was promptly arrested and the motorcycle impounded while the two (2) others escaped into the bush. Efforts to arrest the two suspects at large are being intensified.
On 13/09/2021, he said, between 0025hrs and 0430hrs Raider operatives raided black spots in Koko, Oghara and some areas in Sapele that are known to be hideouts for some notorious cult related activities.
“During the raid, one suspected cultist Rukevwe Afakpor ‘m’ 29yrs old was arrested and one (1) locally made double barrel gun and three (3) live cartridges were recovered from him,” he stated.