*As Operatives of CP-SAT recovered a cache of ammunition, Arrest two suspects

By Matthias Ogbagah

UGHELLI: The operatives of the Special Assignment Team of the Delta State Commissioner of Police, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda, code-named CP-SAT, led by its Commander, ASP Julius Robinson, have again broken record as operatives gunned down five suspected notorious kidnappers/armed robbers recovered arms and ammunition.

According to a press release by the Police Public Relations Officer Delta State police command, SP Edafe Bright, the operatives of CP-SAT based on intensive Intel gathering on a syndicate that specializes in kidnapping, armed robbery, car snatching, and defrauding of suspected victims’ bank accounts via SIM swap around Ughelli, Warri, Sapele, Oghara, Abraka and their environs, the operatives on November 18, 2024 at about 1530hrs affected the arrest of the ring leader of the notorious syndicate gang, Godstime Ajugba m” 41 years residing at Wellington road area of Mosogar in Ethiope East local government area of Delta State.

The Press Release disclosed further that upon interrogation, Godstime Ajugba led the operatives to their criminal hideout situated by the “Small Pastor Area “ out sketch of Mosogar town where they usually keep victims and weapons and when searched the ceiling of the building, the operatives CP-SAT recovered, two AK 47 rifles, one K2 rifle, two Automatic Pump Action guns, one locally made cut-to-size gun, five (5) AK 47 rifle magazines, three (3) K2 rifle magazines, one hundred and One (101) k2 rifle live ammunition, two (2) handcuffs and ten(10) live cartridges.

In related developments, the operatives of the CP Special Assignment Team (CP-SAT) on November 24, 2024, at about 2110 hours while carrying out full-scale investigations into the recent series of kidnapping activities in the Ughelli metropolis and its environs, the operatives arrested two suspects connected to the kidnapping of a man (name withheld) and a ransom of five million naira (#5,000,000) was paid.

The suspects took the operatives to their hideout along Otokutu road, Iyede; while the gang members sighted the operatives, they engaged the operatives in a gun duel, and two of the suspects sustained gunshot injuries. One Pump action gun, one Beretta pistol, one cut-to-size gun, and six live cartridges were recovered. The injured suspects were taken to the General Hospital Ughelli, where they died while receiving treatment.

In the same vein, the surveillance team of Ekpan Police Division while on patrol along Effurun Round About axis arrested one Eto aged 31yrs with a black bag containing Fifty-Seven live cartridges, the surveillance team mobilized to their hideout following Eto’s confession at Coco Nut Village along Warri/Sapele road by Mercy City and arrested one Sunny surname unknown 25yrs old who was waiting to receive the consignment ‘ground nuts’.

The duo of Eto and Sunny led the operatives to their main hideout in a forest behind the 3 Battalion Army Barrack Estate, Effurun, along Warri/Sapele road where their main camp, ‘Korodo’, is situated.

” When other gang members waiting inside the forest camp sighted Police vehicles, they engaged the police in a shoot-out. During the gun duel, the arrested suspects who were leading the policemen to their hideout were fatally wounded by the gunshot of their gang members while others escaped.

“When a discreet search was conducted at the camp, one English Pump Action Gun, one locally made cut-to-size gun and eight live cartridges, six iPhones, some Smartphones, and a Rolex Gold Wrist Watch were recovered in a black bag. The two injured suspects during the crossfire were taken to the hospital, where they died while receiving treatment. Manhunt for the fleeing suspects is ongoing”.

Parading the suspects at Police ‘A’ Division, Ughelli, SP Edafe Bright disclosed that on November 11, 2024
following the kidnap of two boys, the operatives of Abraka Police Station, alongside members of Nigeria Hunters, stormed Kokori-Samagidi bush in Ethiope East LGA in search of the kidnapped victims.

The kidnappers, on noticing that the combined team was closing in on them, fired at them but were overwhelmed by the superior firepower of the team; one of the kidnappers sustained gunshot injuries while others escaped, abandoning the victims. The victims were rescued unhurt, and two AK-47 rifles were recovered. The injured suspect was taken to the hospital, where he died while receiving treatment. A manhunt for the fleeing suspect is ongoing.

Meanwhile, men of Nigeria police led by the DPO of Ekpan police station have a crackdown on suspected armed robbers who disguised as transporters plying the Warri/Ughelli road.

According to SP Edafe Bright, on August 17, 2024, a lady reported that she entered a vehicle at the Efurrun roundabout, and while she was on her way, she was robbed by the driver and two others who pretended to be passengers. Upon receipt of the complaint, the DPO embarked on an intelligence investigation that led to the arrest of three suspects, namely Vincent Omonigho ‘m’, aged 22yrs, Omoni Ebi ‘m’, aged 34yrs, and Tive Paul ‘m’, aged 33yrs were arrested in Abraka and Okuokoko in Okpe local government area of Delta State.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects disguised as transporters and, in some cases, went to clubs and lured young girls, promising them a huge sum of money and eventually robbing them on a lonely road. The Suspects robbed one of their victims, transferred seven hundred and fifty thousand naira from her bank account, and also collected her iPhone 15 pro max and iPhone 13 pro max. The suspects are in custody, and the investigation is ongoing”.