The Delta State Police Command has achieved a significant victory against violent crime with the dismantling of a dangerous inter-state syndicate and the recovery of a substantial arsenal of illegal weapons. The operation, which spanned multiple states in the Niger Delta region, led to the arrest of key suspects and the seizure of high-calibre firearms and ammunition.
Intelligence-Led Operations Unearth Hidden Arsenal
Commissioner of Police, Mr. Aina Adesola, revealed the details at a press briefing in Asaba on Wednesday. He credited the success to sustained, intelligence-driven work by the CP Special Assignment Team. Acting on credible tips about a notorious network involved in kidnapping and armed robbery, operatives expanded their investigation to Port Harcourt in Rivers State.
This move led to the arrest of a suspect, Abubakar Mohammed, on December 29, 2025. Following interrogation, Mohammed confessed and led detectives to a concealed bush location near Tobia Village, along the Amasoma area of Airport Road in Bayelsa State.
There, police uncovered a buried cache of arms, carefully wrapped in a sack. The haul included one AK-47 rifle, 76 rounds of live ammunition, and two AK-47 magazines.
Further Discoveries in Delta State Forest
The investigation continued into the new year. On January 2, 2026, at about 6:01 p.m., the suspect guided operatives to another hidden arms dump. This site was located within the Uyamuge Forest along the Ughelli-Warri axis in Delta State.
A subsequent search yielded an even larger arsenal:
- One K2 rifle
- 49 rounds of live ammunition
- Three K2 magazines
- One pump-action gun
- 32 live cartridges
Police authorities confirmed that the suspect remains in custody and is cooperating with ongoing efforts to completely dismantle the criminal network.
Sting Operation Foils Illegal Arms Deal in Ughelli
In a related development, the same police team thwarted an illegal arms transaction in Ughelli. Acting on intelligence, a sting operation was executed at about 7:15 p.m. on January 3, 2026, at Ovieta Street, Ughelli.
The operation resulted in the arrest of three suspects, all residents of Ughelli North and Ughelli South local government areas:
- Areuro Oke, 38 (alleged buyer)
- Onos Echabor, 47 (described as the middleman)
- Akpofure Emmanuel, 45
Items recovered from this operation included one pump-action gun and the sum of N280,000, believed to be part payment for the illegal transaction.
Commissioner Adesola used the briefing to reassure residents of the command's "unwavering commitment" to tackling violent crimes like kidnapping and armed robbery. He emphasized that these operations are part of a broader strategy to restore public confidence in security across Delta State and the wider Niger Delta region.
