DELTA POLICE COMMAND DECLARES WAR AGAINST CULTISTS, ARMED ROBBERS

Operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of the Delta State Police have recovered one AK 50 rifle and a fully loaded magazine with 19 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition from fleeing suspected cultists on the Azagba Ogwashi – Ogwashi – Uku road. 

The RRS team, while on visibility patrol after the Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku, received information that a group of  suspected cultists came out from the bush with intent to cause mayhem. 

The cultists, who were armed, on sighting the police, quickly retreated back to the bush, but the police went after them following which there was exchanged of gun fire.

The hoodlums, who could not withstand the firepower of the police threw away the AK 50 rifle with breach No. NA48333 and the magazine.

A statement by the Acting Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Delta Command, DSP Bright Edafe, says effort is on to arrest the fleeing suspects.  

Similarly, a cult initiation process has been foiled in Ogume, Ndokwa West, by Special Anti Cult Unit (SACU) operatives acting on intelligence.

The night operation led to the arrest of over 28 suspects, while eight suspected Aiye confraternity cult members were also arrested in Warri.  

Further investigation and the confessional statement of one of the suspects led to the arrest of one Lucky Eluagu (m) alias DJ Lucky, of old Okpe Street Jeddo, in Okpe local government area, who confessed being a valid member of Aye confraternity.

Exhibits recovered from him include a face cap with black axe logo. 

Edafe said the Commissioner of Police, Delta Command, Ari Mohammed Ali, had mandated Divisional Police Officers and Tactical Commanders to embark on continuous raid of cultists’ hideouts. 

The raids, according to him, had led to the arrest of suspected cultists from different cult groups, whom he said would be charged to court on conclusion of investigation.

Meanwhile, the Ovwian-Aladja Division of the Nigeria Police Force has arrested a suspected armed robber, one Umukoro Collins, following a distress call that some armed robbers were at a bush bar in Otor-Udu. 

On sighting the police, the suspects attempted to escape in a motorcycle but were chased by the patrol team.

Two of them escaped, while Umukoro Collins was arrested. 

 One (1) locally made pistol and one (1) live cartridge was recovered from him, while a manhunt of the two suspects at large is ongoing. 

In another operation, operatives of the ‘B’ Division Warri, while on stop and search at Igbudu area, had an encounter with three (3) armed men suspected to be armed robbers.

The suspects, armed with a locally made gun, on sighting the patrol team, opened fire and in the crossfire that ensued one of them was fatally injured, while others escaped. 

Items recovered include one (1) locally made gun, one (1) live cartridge and one (1) expanded cartridge, while efforts are on to track down the fleeing suspects.