ASABA/Nigeria: The Delta State Police Command has intensified its offensive against criminal networks, arresting 15 suspects and recovering weapons and illicit substances in coordinated operations across the state.
The development was confirmed in a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, who said the arrests were part of sustained intelligence-led efforts to dismantle cult and armed robbery groups operating in Delta.
According to the statement, operatives drawn from Safe Delta, Operation Delta Sweep, and Operation Delta Shield stormed a known criminal hideout, Best Lodge in Oko Community, on April 27, 2026, at about 11:30 a.m., leading to the arrest of 14 suspects, including 13 males and one female.
Police said items recovered during the raid included a locally made cut-to-size pistol, three live cartridges, two bags of substances suspected to be Indian hemp, four daggers, one cutlass, several mobile phones, and a total of ₦133,100.
In a related operation later the same day, operatives of Operation Delta Shield intercepted a 26-year-old suspect, identified as Chidebere Irunkwor, during a stop-and-search exercise along Kingsley Street.
A search conducted on the suspect led to the recovery of another locally made pistol, two live cartridges, and 10 Euros. Preliminary findings, according to police, indicate that the suspect is a member of the Eiye Confraternity.
The suspect is currently in custody as investigations continue.
Commenting on the operations, the Commissioner of Police, Yemi Oyeniyi, reiterated the Command’s commitment to sustaining pressure on criminal elements through proactive and intelligence-driven policing.
He called on residents to support law enforcement agencies with credible and timely information, assuring that all information provided would be handled with strict confidentiality.
