From Joe Obukata Ogbodu, Warri
Operatives of the CP Special Assignment Team (CP-SAT) of the Delta State Police Command have arrested a member of a kidnapping syndicate terrorising Ughelli and its environs.
The suspect, identified as Shehu Malami, 45, was picked up on 29 April by officers acting on credible intelligence at Ogor Market, Ughelli, in the Ughelli North Local Government Area of the state.
Confirming the development in a statement on Saturday, the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, said that the suspect, upon arrest, later led operatives to his hideout in Agbarha-Otor, where one AK-47 rifle and 63 rounds of live ammunition were recovered.
He said that preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect is part of a kidnapping syndicate terrorising Ughelli, Agbarho, Sapele, Warri, and other areas in the state.
Edafe hinted that efforts to arrest other members of his gang are ongoing.
Similarly, acting on credible intelligence on 2 May, at about 08:35 hours, the Assistant Commissioner of Police Operations mobilised and led operatives of the Buffalo, Crack, and Operation Delta Shield (ODS) squads to a bush near the customs checkpoint along the Benin–Asaba Expressway.
The spokesman disclosed that a search of the area led to the recovery of one AK-47 rifle, six rounds of live ammunition, and one Beretta pistol.
He said that the investigation is ongoing, and efforts are being intensified to arrest the suspects.
The Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, CP Yemi Oyeniyi, in his remarks, has reaffirmed the command’s commitment to sustaining the tempo against criminal elements.
He also urged residents to monitor and report suspicious persons or movements in their environment promptly to the police, while assuring them that their identities will be treated with utmost confidentiality.
