Delta Police Arrest 627, Recover 144 Guns, N36m Ransom in 2025 Yr

The Delta State Police Command has recorded significant operational successes, including the arrest of 627 criminal suspects, the recovery of 144 firearms and 6,930 rounds of ammunition, and the seizure of ₦36 million in ransom between January 2025 and the present.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Abaniwonda S. Olufemi, disclosed this on Monday during a press briefing in Asaba, where he outlined what he described as the Command’s operational achievements amid growing public concern over violent crimes.

According to the police commissioner, the arrests spanned major crime categories such as armed robbery, kidnapping, murder, cultism and rape, attributing the results to proactive, intelligence-driven and community-based policing strategies.

A breakdown of the figures shows that police arrested 140 suspected armed robbers, 113 suspected kidnappers, 125 murder suspects, 187 suspected cultists, and 62 suspects linked to rape and defilement cases.

CP Olufemi further revealed that 18 kidnapped victims were rescued, while 28 stolen vehicles were recovered across various parts of the state during the period under review.

He said sustained raids and stop-and-search operations led to the recovery of 27 AK-47 and AK-49 rifles, 25 Beretta pistols, 56 single-barrel and locally fabricated cut-to-size guns, and 36 pump-action firearms. In total, 144 weapons and 6,930 live rounds of ammunition and cartridges were seized, a development the Command said has significantly weakened the operational capacity of criminal gangs in the state.

Highlighting notable cases, the police commissioner confirmed the arrest of two principal suspects in the murder of retired Justice Ifeoma Okogwu, who was killed in her residence on November 24, 2025. One of the suspects, identified as the victim’s security guard, allegedly confessed to inviting accomplices who restrained and murdered the retired jurist before making away with her valuables. A stolen mobile phone belonging to the deceased was later recovered from a market in Asaba.
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In another operation, CP Olufemi disclosed that a suspected kidnapper was neutralised during a gun battle with police operatives in the Obiaruku forest. Items recovered at the scene included an AK-47 rifle, 42 rounds of ammunition, charms and mobile phones, while other members of the gang reportedly escaped with gunshot wounds.

The Command also announced a major clampdown on drug trafficking, resulting in the arrest of 161 suspects during a raid on a notorious drug den in Agbor, Ika South Local Government Area. Recovered substances included Canadian Loud, Nigerian Loud, codeine syrup, tramadol and ice. In a related operation, police intercepted a commercial bus in Asaba conveying 109 bottles of codeine and cartons of tramadol.

CP Olufemi attributed the achievements to sustained collaboration with vigilante groups, anti-cult organisations, community leaders and other security agencies. He assured residents that the Command remains fully prepared to safeguard lives and property, particularly during the festive season.

He urged members of the public to remain vigilant and continue to provide timely information to security agencies, while also announcing emergency police contact numbers for distress calls.