From ONYEKACHUKWU MELUWA, WARRI
Delta State Police Command has recorded a major breakthrough in its relentless fight against kidnapping and violent crime.
Acting on credible intelligence, officers of the Special Anti-Kidnapping and Cyber Crime Squad, led by CSP Godwin Osadolor, arrested five suspected kidnappers and recovered a cash ransom of N5 million from their hideout in Ogwashi-Ukwu, Oshimili North Local Government Area.
According to the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, the arrest took place on July 12, following the trail of a gang that had been terrorising parts of the state, including Ibusa, Ogwashi-Ukwu, Obulu-Okiti, Issele-Ukwu and Isele-Asagba.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects were behind the recent abduction of a young lady in Ogwashi-Ukwu on July 9.
One of the arrested suspects, Sanusi Abdullahi, who was found in possession of the N5 million ransom collected from one of their victims, led the operatives to other hideouts at Second Deputy and Oko in Asaba, where four additional suspects were apprehended. Investigations are ongoing.
In a separate sting operation on the same day around 8:35am along Patani-Ughelli Expressway near Unenurhie, operatives of the CP’s Special Assignment Team stormed a known criminal hideout.
The suspects, including Solomon Danisco (aka Picolo), Nelson Jacob, Oruma Saturday, Olise Jude, Precious Urhobowin, and Whisky Rufus (aka Asawana), engaged the police in a fierce gun battle.
Six of the suspects later died from gunshot wounds sustained during the encounter, while two others remain in custody and are receiving medical attention.
The police recovered four locally made guns and 19 rounds of live cartridges from the scene.
