From Francis Sadhere, Delta

In a continued clampdown on violent crime, the Delta State Police Command has recorded yet another major breakthrough with the arrest of suspected kidnappers and armed robbers, along with the recovery of a significant cache of weapons and ammunition.In a press release issued on Monday, the Police Public Relations Officer, Edafe Bright, confirmed that two separate operations led to the arrest of key suspects and the recovery of dangerous firearms and ammunition.

He said the operations part of the Command’s renewed efforts to rid the state and its environs of criminal elements.According to Edafe, On May 20, 2025, operatives of the CP Special Assignment Team (CP-SAT), acting on credible intelligence, apprehended one Abubakar Hassan, a 30-year-old native of Niger State residing in Woji, Port Harcourt.He said that Hassan, alleged to be the leader of a kidnapping and robbery gang operating across Delta, Rivers, Imo, and Enugu States, was arrested around 5:35 p.m.He added that following his arrest, the suspect reportedly led police to a forest near the Ozoro axis where two AK-47 rifles, thirty-two rounds of live ammunition, and four rifle magazines were recovered.This development is said to be linked to an earlier operation in which three of Hassan’s accomplices were nabbed and weapons seized.Edafe said that Police have since intensified efforts to track down the remaining gang members.Also, in a separate incident the same day at around 4:30PM, Edafe said that officers attached to the Safer Highway Patrol Unit intercepted a suspect during a routine stop-and-search along Ughelli Road.He noted that the suspect, identified as 38-year-old Obi Ezekiel from Kogi State, was found in possession of a locally fabricated revolver pump-action single-barrel rifle, fifteen live cartridges, and a can of chemical spray-teargas.Authorities say investigations are ongoing to determine the full extent of the suspect’s activities.Reacting to the successful operations, the Commissioner of Police, Abaniwonda Olufemi, commended the professionalism and diligence of the officers involved.He reiterated the Command’s unwavering commitment to ensuring public safety and warned that there would be no refuge for criminals in the state.“These operations will continue relentlessly until all members of these criminal syndicates are apprehended and brought to justice,” the Commissioner stated.He also urged residents to remain calm and cooperative, emphasizing the importance of timely and credible information from the public in combating crime.“These recent breakthroughs highlight our commitment to protecting lives and property. The support of the public is vital to sustaining these successes,” he added.The Delta Police Command has assured the public that more strategic actions are underway to dismantle criminal networks operating within and beyond the state.