Four suspected cultists and armed robbers have been arrested by the Delta State Police Command, leading to the recovery of seven firearms, 10 live cartridges and two stolen motorcycles.
The suspects were arrested in separate operations in Umunede and Ughelli, while substances suspected to be cannabis and methamphetamine were also recovered.
The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday, saying the arrests followed complaints and intelligence reports concerning threats to life, cultism and motorcycle theft in the affected areas.
Edafe said the first operation took place on October 30, following a report by a Umunede resident that Chibuike Ezeji, 30, had threatened to kill him while brandishing a pistol.
He said operatives of the Umunede Police Division, working with members of the Umunede Civilian Anti-Cult Group, traced the suspect to a residence along Umunede Expressway, where he was arrested alongside Ikenna Emeka, 22.
A search of the premises led to the recovery of a pump-action gun, a locally made cut-to-size gun, three locally made pistols, eight live cartridges and substances suspected to be cannabis and methamphetamine, popularly known as ice.
In a separate operation on October 28, operatives of the Commissioner of Police’s Special Assignment Team (CP-SAT) arrested two suspected armed robbers in Ughelli.
Edafe said the operation followed complaints of motorcycle thefts by armed men along Stadium Road, Saniko and adjoining areas.
The suspects, identified as Peter Emobaye, 22, and James Emmanuel, 29, were arrested during a raid on a suspected criminal hideout in the Ighrovie area, where a stolen Qlink motorcycle was recovered.
According to the police spokesman, the suspects subsequently led operatives to the residence of their alleged gang leader, identified as Sunny, in Ufuoma Town.
A search of the premises led to the recovery of another stolen motorcycle, a Daylong, a fabricated Beretta pistol, a locally made shotgun and two live cartridges.
Edafe said the four suspects were in police custody, while investigations were ongoing. He added that efforts were being made to arrest the fleeing alleged gang leader and other members of the gang.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Samuel Etaifo Erale, reaffirmed the command’s commitment to tackling cultism, armed robbery and the proliferation of illegal firearms.
He urged residents to provide the police with credible and timely information, assuring them of sustained efforts to protect lives and property across the state.
Police Arrest Four Suspects for Cultism, Robbery in Delta
