ASABA/Nigeria: A string of coordinated intelligence-led operations by the Delta State Police Command has disrupted a planned cult attack and dismantled armed robbery networks across Warri, Ughelli and Sapele, leading to multiple arrests and the recovery of firearms and live ammunition.
The operations were confirmed in a statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer of the Command, SP Bright Edafe, who disclosed that the crackdown resulted in the seizure of three guns and twenty-seven live cartridges from suspects linked to robbery and cult-related activities.
In Ughelli, operatives of the CP Special Assignment Team, led by ASP Julius Robinson, stormed the Ekredjebor area at about 11:35 p.m. on February 27, 2026, arresting one Oghenemaro Festus of the Upper Agbarho axis. A search conducted on the suspect led to the recovery of a pump-action gun loaded with two live cartridges. Police sources revealed that Festus is strongly connected to a string of house-to-house robberies that had unsettled residents in the area. Efforts are ongoing to apprehend other members of the gang believed to be on the run.
Barely 48 hours later, in the early hours of March 1, 2026, the same Special Assignment Team swooped on another suspected armed robber in Sapele following repeated complaints from residents over attacks by a motorcycle-riding robbery syndicate. At about 3:35 a.m., officers arrested 21-year-old Prince Omanure, popularly known as “Anini,” in the Ghana Area of the town. During interrogation, the suspect reportedly led investigators to a bush along the Warri-Sapele Road near the Trailer Park, where a fabricated Beretta pistol loaded with eight rounds of live ammunition had been concealed. Police say the suspect has since provided useful leads as they intensify the hunt for other members of the syndicate.
In a separate operation in Warri, operatives of the Quick Response Squad, led by SP Achem Collins, acted on credible intelligence of an impending cult attack. At about 9:14 a.m. on February 27, officers raided a building on Okwagbe Street in Igbudu where members of a notorious cult group were said to be gathering to launch attacks on unsuspecting residents.
The raid triggered a frantic escape by several suspects, but three individuals — Nelson Mudiagha, also known as “Diara,” Efe Nyore, and Ebube Ifeanyi — were apprehended at the scene. A thorough search of the premises uncovered a cut-to-size locally fabricated double-barrel gun and seventeen live cartridges hidden within the building.
Preliminary interrogation revealed that the suspects are members of the Black Axe Confraternity, also known as Ayes. Investigations are ongoing as police intensify efforts to track down fleeing members of the group.
Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, CP Aina Adesola, reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to safeguarding lives and property across the state. He assured residents that the police remain resolute in their crackdown on cult groups, armed robbery syndicates and other violent criminal networks operating within Delta.
