By : Ike Philip Abiagom
The Delta State Police Command has recorded significant operational successes in its sustained fight against kidnapping, armed robbery and cult-related crimes across the state, with the arrest of 10 suspects and the recovery of arms, ammunition, a luxury vehicle and other incriminating items.
In a press release issued on Thursday, the Command said operatives of the Special Anti-Kidnapping and Cybercrime Squad (SAKCCS), acting on credible intelligence, arrested a suspected kidnapping and armed robbery syndicate during a coordinated operation carried out in the early hours of January 20, 2026.
According to the Police, the intelligence-driven operation followed reports of kidnapping and armed robbery incidents in Obinoba, Obiaruku, Abraka, Ororokpe and adjoining communities. The operatives reportedly trailed a suspect to a notorious criminal hideout along the Jedo/Ugboton–Warri axis.
Upon storming the location, two principal suspects identified as Oke Jerry Ekokodjie and one Ibori (surname unknown), alongside three other members of the gang, were arrested. Other members of the syndicate, however, escaped through nearby creeks and waterways.
A search of the hideout led to the recovery of one locally fabricated Beretta-style pistol with three rounds of 9mm live ammunition, a black Mercedes-Benz GLK vehicle, a battle axe, illicit substances in commercial quantity and a Point-of-Sale (POS) machine.
The suspects have been taken into custody and are undergoing further investigation, while efforts are ongoing to track down and arrest the fleeing members of the gang.
In a related development, operatives from the Obiaruku Division, in the early hours of January 22, 2026, raided a suspected cultists’ hideout at Amai Community in Ndokwa East Local Government Area.
During the operation, five suspects were arrested. They were identified as Frank Etiyemonu (36), Chinedu Emeka (25), Festus Nwadiche (26), Azuju Onowu (29) and Ozor Blessing (29).
Items recovered from the hideout include one locally made pistol, two battle axes, quantities of Indian hemp and other suspected hard drugs, as well as additional dangerous weapons.
The Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, CP Aina Adesola, commended the operatives for their professionalism and effective deployment of actionable intelligence. He reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to ridding the state of criminal elements through sustained, proactive and intelligence-led policing.
CP Adesola also urged residents to remain vigilant and continue to support the Police with timely and credible information, assuring the public of strict confidentiality.
The release was signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe.