SUSPECTED NOTORIOUS CRIMINAL ELEMENT ARRESTED BY POLICE IN IBUSA, DELTA STATE

A suspected notorious land speculator in Ibusa, Oshimili North local government area of Delta state, Sunday Okafor, has been arrested by men of the Special Anti Cult Unit, SACU, of the Delta State Police Command.

His arrest on Saturday, January 21, 2023, followed a petition by Chiefs Chekwube Ofuonyeadi and Jerome Ikebude, through their Counsel, Emwanta Ekenemolise Osifo (Esq) over alleged criminal activities of the suspect and members of his gang in Ibusa.

Sunday Okafor, the suspected ringleader of his gang and one Omameh Nwanze were earlier arrested on 13th January by operatives of the Anti Kidnapping Unit of the Delta State Police Command for allegedly abducting one Chief Jerome Ikebude, who is the Chairman of a camp settlement at Akwugboko, Umuolo, in Umueze quarters, Ibusa and robbing him of the sum of one point two million naira.

The suspects were reportedly released two days later following pressure from certain influencial individuals in the community believed to be their sponsors, after allegedly paying a whooping sum of seven hundred and fifty thousand naira, N750,000.00 for their bail.

They, and others now at large, were also said to have taken their criminal activities further on 14th January, when they went back to the camp and set ablaze buildings, farms and timber logs belonging to the petitioners.

Apparently worried over the criminal activities of the gang and the brazen display of lawlessness by Sunday Okafor and his boys, Chiefs Chekwube Ofuonyeadi and Jerome Ikebude petitioned the State Commissioner of Police, Dr Ari Mohammed Ali, praying him to restrain the hoodlums from further causing damage, restore peace and security of lives and property in the affected community 

The petitioners urged the CP to, where necessary, prosecute and lawfully employ every action possible to deter the hoodlums and ensure justice in the alleged cases of terrorism, cultism, arson, unlawful possession of firearms, attempted murder, kidnapping, armed robbery and acts generally calculated to incite violence and breach of public peace against them.

The spokesperson for the Delta State Police Command, DSP Bright Edafe, who confirmed the arrest and the petition, said one cut to size gun and eight live ammunitions  were recovered from the suspect, while investigation of the allegations was in progress.