The Delta State Police Command has announced a major breakthrough in its fight against crime, with the arrest of 80 suspects and the recovery of 31 firearms, 86 rounds of ammunition, stolen vehicles, and large quantities of illicit drugs in August 2025.
Commissioner of Police, Abaniwonda S. Olufemi, who briefed journalists in Asaba, said the command’s operations have made the state “very hot for criminals,” adding that his men will not relent until criminal elements are rooted out. He reaffirmed the directive of the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, that “Deltans must sleep with their two eyes closed.”
Among the key arrests in August was that of a suspected armed robber in Asaba found in possession of a Beretta pistol, and three suspected robbers arrested in Ubulu-Okiti with a pump-action gun and double-barreled weapons. Police also intercepted a Toyota Sienna carrying 75 live cartridges and nabbed an ex-convict who, just five days after leaving prison, stole another motorcycle in Asaba.
The month also witnessed a major breakthrough in Ughelli, where operatives arrested members of a notorious robbery gang linked to previous high-profile attacks. Recovered from the gang were stolen items including a 65-inch television, laptops, PlayStation console, and two suspected stolen vehicles. Another surveillance operation led to the arrest of suspects attempting to sell two SUVs— a Lexus RX350 and a Mercedes-Benz GLK350—both later identified as stolen during armed robberies.
In the same period, the command smashed a fraud and robbery syndicate operating in Warri, Ughelli, and parts of Edo State. The suspects allegedly hypnotised their victims, looted bank accounts, and carted away valuables worth over ₦23.5 million. Recovered exhibits included two Toyota Camry cars and 16 iPhones.
The police also moved against drug cartels, arresting a 52-year-old woman described as a major dealer in Ughelli, alongside three apprentices. A raid on her store and residence uncovered over 350 bottles of codeine, hundreds of rolls of tramadol, cannabis, and other narcotics.
Other recoveries include 11 stolen ladders traced to racketeers in Ekpan, a stolen Mercedes-Benz GLK snatched in Enugu but tracked to Asaba, and multiple firearms recovered from suspects arrested in Ogwashi-Uku and Onicha-Ugbo. At Ogwashi-Uku, two suspects were arrested with rifles, pistols, ammunition, motorcycles, laptops, and phones after a shootout with police.
In total, 31 firearms, 86 rounds of live ammunition and cartridges, and over 50 laptops and mobile phones were recovered in the month under review.
Olufemi urged Deltans to remain vigilant and support the police with timely information, promising that the command will intensify its offensive against criminal networks across the state. “We are determined to sustain the heat on these criminally minded individuals until they are brought to justice,” he assured.
