Police in Delta parade suspected criminals, recover weapons, ransom money

Delta State Police Command yesterday presented 16 individuals suspected of kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism, and other offences.

They were apprehended in various locations across the state.

Commissioner of Police Olufemi Abaniwonda, who oversaw the parade at the command headquarters in Asaba, reported that four AK-47 rifles, 138 rounds of ammunition, eight pump-action shotguns, 15 sawn-off shotguns, and five Beretta pistols were confiscated from the suspects.

Abaniwonda also revealed that police recovered N2.344m from six individuals travelling in a tricycle.

Officers from the Ebrumede division intercepted the vehicle during a routine patrol.
According to the Commissioner, some of the seized phones belonged to kidnap victims, and the money was part of the ransom paid for their release.

“The suspects attempted to flee upon seeing the police but were pursued and apprehended,” he stated.

In another incident on July 25, at approximately 8:00 p.m., officers from the command’s Dragon Patrol unit stopped and searched a green Toyota vehicle along the Asaba-Agbor expressway.

The driver, 39-year-old Jammed Abdulahi Shola, was found to be in possession of 320 packs of codeine, 125 sachets of tramadol, and other illicit drugs in large quantities.

The CP reassured residents of their safety, citing increased police deployments to counter criminal activity. He noted a significant drop in kidnappings and armed robberies due to these measures.

With the approaching festive season, Abaniwonda outlined plans to maintain security through heightened police presence, raids on crime hotspots, and targeted operations across all 25 local government areas.