Delta Police Nab 5 Suspected Robbers, Recover 4 Guns, Vehicles, Stolen Items
By Temidayo Babalola
The Delta State Police Command has arrested five suspected criminals in separate operations across the state and recovered four locally made single-barrelled guns, three vehicles, three motorcycles and a large quantity of suspected stolen property TMnews report.
At Orerokpe, Police operatives working with members of the Civilian Anti-Cult group, Osubi, intercepted two Toyota Sienna vehicles conveying musical equipment along the Warri-Sapele Road.
The occupants reportedly fled on sighting the operatives, but a 45-year-old suspect, Lawrence Onowenakpo, was arrested.
A search of the vehicles led to the recovery of three locally made single-barrelled long guns and one live cartridge.
According to the Police, preliminary investigation led operatives to a scrap yard in Warri allegedly being used as an operational base by the suspected gang.
The search of the location yielded three motorcycles, 22 air-conditioning units, 13 washing machines, 29 motorcycle and tricycle engines, musical equipment, television sets, a generator, laptop and other items suspected to have been stolen.
The Command said the arrested suspect allegedly identified Ajeh Zephaniah, popularly known as “Fanta”, as the leader of the gang.
Police said Zephaniah had previously been arrested and arraigned for armed robbery but was granted bail on health grounds.
Preliminary investigation, according to the Command, has linked the gang to recent armed robbery incidents in the Kwale and Warri areas, while efforts are ongoing to arrest Zephaniah and other fleeing members.
In a related development, operatives of Ekpan Division arrested a 23-year-old suspect, Meshach Onovoisa, following a distress call over a man allegedly threatening people around the Scrap Yard axis of Effurun-Sapele Road.
One locally made single-barrelled gun was recovered from the suspect, who allegedly admitted during preliminary interrogation to being involved in armed robbery.
At Agbor, three other suspects, Agbaja Promise, 20, Emmanuel Ovieh, 25 and Odiri Dama, 25 all from Benin City, Edo State, were arrested while allegedly attempting to dispose of a Hijet mini bus with registration number BEN-485-XH for N300,000.
The suspects reportedly could not produce documents for the vehicle, which was recovered by the Police. The rightful owner was subsequently identified and contacted.
Reacting to the development, the Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, CP Samuel E. Erale, commended the operatives for their efforts and praised members of the public whose information and cooperation contributed to the breakthroughs.
Erale reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to dismantling criminal networks across the state and urged residents to continue providing credible and timely information to the Police.
He said sustained collaboration between the Police, communities and other security stakeholders remained essential to preventing crime and ensuring a safer Delta State.
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