The Delta State Police Command has arrested 10 suspected kidnappers just as it also foiled a tricycle robbers syndicate.

The operatives recovered from the suspected kidnappers a Toyota Corolla with Reg. No. WWR 353 LS, a locally made cut-to-size single barrel pistol as well as 11 rounds of live cartridges.

The PUNCH gathered that sequel to the rampant cases of reported armed robbery/kidnapping along Sapele-Warri road and its environs, which have created fear among road users.

The Delta State Commissioner of Police, CP Wale Abass, had on assumption of duty detailed an intelligence unit of the command, the CP-Decoy squad, to embark on a discreet and an intelligence-led operation.

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The Commander Decoy Squad, ASP Julius Robinson, led operatives of the squad, relocated to Sapele on a covert operation and while acting on credible intelligence gathered within Sapele and environs arrested one Nyero Sunday (29), of Okwitolo community alongside eight others all in Okpe Local Government Area of the state.

It was gathered that all the suspects who were arrested through technical intelligence-led investigation have confessed to their involvements in numerous kidnapping, armed robbery operations, and also admitted to terrorising the Sapele-Warri road.

Confirming the incident, the police Public Relations Officer, DSP Bright Edafe, noted that further investigation also led to the arrest of one Umar Bello (33) from Sokoto State but residing in Warri, who usually buys the stolen phones and other valuables robbed from their victims.

A Toyota Corolla with Reg. No. WWR 353 LS, a locally made cut-to-size single barrel pistol as well as 11 rounds of live cartridges, were recovered from the syndicate.

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The PPRO said efforts were ongoing to arrest other fleeing suspects.

“In another development, police operatives of ‘B’ division Warri, led by the DPO SP Bolarinwa Alabi were on visibility, confidence building patrol along Airport road, they sighted a tricycle with three male occupants, and in their usual way, flagged down the tricycle, but the rider on sighting the police manoeuvred in a bid to escape on May 15, 2023, at about 0015hrs.

“The operatives went after them until they eventually abandoned the tricycle and took to their heels.

“One of the suspects, named Nworie Emmanuel (20), was arrested and taken to the police station.

“During interrogation, the suspect stated that he is a member of a three-man gang of armed robbers who uses a tricycle to rob innocent people of their belongings along Airport Road Warri.

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“He also confessed that they had earlier that night robbed two persons along Airport road, adding that the phone robbed was with Abdul, one of their fleeing gang members and that their modus operandi is to look out for their victims standing at a lonely road at night, and Abdul (currently at large) will jump down from the tricycle, use knife to threaten their victim and rob them of their phones and other valuables.

“Meanwhile, the tricycle together with the knife they use to scare their victims are in custody alongside the suspect while the police are making frantic effort to arrest the other fleeing members of the gang,” the statement read

Also, the command crack squad on May 16, 2023, raided a criminal blackspot located around Osuani in Patani LGA, and arrested one Priscillia Amor, female, aged 35 years.

They recovered 26 wraps of weeds suspected to be Indian hemp, 19 wraps of substance suspected to be Methamphetamine, eight packets of rizlas, some mobile phones and other exhibits from the female suspect.

The PPRO stated that an investigation is ongoing to arrest her other gang members.