The Delta State Police Command has arrested a suspected cultist, armed robbers and recovered arms and ammunition.
According to a statement released on Tuesday and signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, the Commissioner of Police CP Abaniwonda Olufemi advised youths in the state to shun any form of crime and stay away from cultism.
It read, “Acting on revelations by some of the suspects arrested in connection to kidnapping and cultism by the command’s special squad deployed to Ughelli, on 24/05/2024 at about 1635hrs, the special team led by ASP Julius Robinson trailed and arrested one Emmanuel John Aisewowhion ‘m’ a.k.a “Small Juju” aged 34yrs, a native of Ewohimi community Esan-South East LGA of Edo State, but resident at Uwagba Community in Okpe LGA, Delta State.
“One Beretta pistol was recovered from his house and investigation further revealed that he is a member of Eiye confraternity and he got the gun from one Goodluck Sakutu, a suspected gun runner already in custody. Serious efforts to arrest other members of his gang are ongoing.
Also according to the statement, “Sequel to series of reported cases of cultism and gun-running in Ughellli/Warri/Sapele/Oghara and environs, operatives on special assignment in Ughelli in line with the directive of the commissioner of Police Delta State CP Abaniwonda Olufemi, embarked on an intelligence-driven policing, stormed Oghara town and arrested one notorious cultist identified as Philips Omomedia “m” aged 37 yrs of Onogo-Vor community in Ethiope West LGA Oghara Delta State.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect is a member of Aro-Bagar confraternity and suspected to be involved in a series of cult-related killings, was arrested and one Automatic Double Barrel gun with fifteen (15) live cartridges was recovered from him. Investigation is ongoing.
In another development, the statement further added that “On 26/05/2024 at about 1700hrs a combined patrol team of policemen of the division & federal hunters who were deployed on a crime prevention patrol while on stop and search duty along Oputu road Orhowurun community in Udu LGA, flagged down a motorcyclist carrying one passenger for a routine search. The suspects refused to stop and the team chased them, during the chase one of the suspects Christopher Semede ‘m’ age 33yrs was arrested and one locally made cut-to-size double barrel pistol was recovered from him. A concerted effort to arrest the other fleeing suspect is ongoing.”
According to Edafe, CP Abaniwonda Olufemi commended officers and men of the command for their steadfastness in fighting crime and urged other officers to emulate the same.
The CP noted that it is a collective responsibility to flush out criminals from the state in other to guarantee the safety of residents in the State.
He further urged youths to shun all forms of crime, noting that youth involvement in cult-related activities is alarming and has negative consequences for the security of the state and for this reason, the command will not fold its hands and allow lawlessness in the state.
He assured residents that the command will continue to identify, arrest, and prosecute suspects arrested until Delta State is free from all forms of criminality.
