Metro

Police Raid Criminal Hideouts In Delta, Arrest Suspects, Seize Weapons

Published

2 months ago

July 1, 2025

Assorted guns and sophisticated mobile phones were recovered when operatives of the CP Special Assignment Team of the Delta State Police Command staged a crackdown on suspected kidnappers and one-chance syndicate in some parts of the state.

According to The PUNCH, the operation followed a directive of the state Commissioner of Police, Olufemi Abaniwonda, that a case of kidnapping reported at the Isiokolo Police station where one suspect was initially arrested be transferred to operatives of the team alongside one suspect named Augustine Ojanuware.

The Police Public Relations Officer for the Delta State Command, Bright Edafe, said in a signed statement made available to journalists in Warri on Monday that “the operatives of the CP-SAT, upon further investigation, said the suspect confessed that he is a member of a kidnapping and armed robbery syndicate terrorising Ughelli, Warri, Agbarho, Sapele and their environs.”

According to the PPRO, “On June 28, 2025, the suspect led operatives to the Osubi area of Warri and Ughelli town, where two additional suspects, viz Precious Urhobowin ‘m’ 27 years of Ewu community in Ughelli North LGA of Delta State and one Julius Okpako, ‘m’, 32 years, a native of Oviri-Ogor community in Ughelli North LGA of Delta State, who is a member and owner of a POS machine used in collecting ransom, were arrested respectively and another locally made gun with eight rounds of live cartridges was recovered from them.”

The police spokesman disclosed that preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects were responsible for the kidnap of a pharmacist on June 19, 2025, in her residence in Ughelli and released after five days upon payment of an undisclosed sum of money and whose Lexus jeep they abandoned along Isiokolo area and also the attempted kidnap of another male victim whose Toyota Corolla they robbed upon the failed attempt at Iyede community on June 28, 2025.

Meanwhile, the suspects are in custody, just as investigations are ongoing in the matter.

The PPRO explained that the operatives arrested some suspected robbers popularly known as “one chance“ and recovered their operational tricycle and 16 sophisticated mobile phones from the gangsters.

The arrest, the police spokesman said, was a sequel to a series of complaints received from members of the public in Ughelli related to a syndicate that specialises in robbing unsuspecting passengers who board commercial tricycles.

The statement partly reads, “Acting on credible intelligence, on June 28, 2025 and June 29, 2025, operatives of CP-Special Assignment Team (CP-SAT) led by ASP Julius Robinson stormed Agbarho town and effected the arrest of Lucky Oghenerobor ‘m’ 37yrs, a native of Olomoro community in Isoko South LGA of Delta State, resident in Agbarho town, who is the leader and owner of their operational tricycle.

“Other suspects were also arrested within Ughelli town namely Olamide Fagbaibe ‘m’ 24yrs, a native of Akure in Ondo State and Umeh Akpan ‘m’ 37yrs a native of Eket in Akwa-Ibom State, both resident in Ughelli town.

“Suspects confessed that they usually operate in Ughelli, Warri, Sapele, and environs. Recovered from them are 16 different kinds of suspected stolen phones”.

In the meantime, the State Commissioner of Police, Olufemi Abaniwonda, has reiterated that “the command remains committed to the fight against crime and criminality”.

The CP called on residents and the people of the state to “always volunteer information that will aid the Police in crime fighting”.

The police boss released the command’s dedicated control room phone numbers which are 08036684974; 08114895600 and 08025666914.

Metro

Edo Govt Demolishes Building Owned by Suspected Cultist

Published

23 minutes ago

August 23, 2025

Editor

The Governor Monday Okpebholo led-Edo State Government has demolished a house belonging to a suspected cultist.

The building was said to have been used for initiations in Egbaen community along Upper Siluko Road , Egor Local Government Area.

The building was said to belong to a suspected Maphite cult leader, and was said to be used as a base for cult initiation rites and ritual practices.

A statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary ( CPS) to the governor, Fred Itua in Saturday said the operation was executed by the Edo State Special Security Squad, codenamed “Operation Flush Out Cultists and Kidnappers”, working in concert with various security agencies and community stakeholders.

The statement said the, coordinator of the Edo State Security Squad, Idemudia Noah confirmed that the building was linked a leader of the Maphite cult group, who had allegedly converted the bungalow into a shrine and meeting point for illegal activities.

“We were here some days ago to seal up this building following allegations of cultism, ritual practices and other nefarious activities of suspected Maphite cult leader and his members,” the Edo State Security Squard said in the statement.

The squad leader also disclosed that despite the earlier sealing of the premises, intelligence reports confirmed that the suspects resumed their clandestine operations under the cover of darkness. Their continued defiance prompted the government’s decision to demolish the structure.

“We got credible information that the suspected cult leader Marvellous Adetarami and his members still gathered to have their meetings in this sealed bungalow, where the horrible shrine was discovered,” he revealed.

He said, “Neighbours and community members are all joyous seeing the building pulled down, as they have lived in fear following the suspect’s activities.”

Metro

My Husband Fought, Abandoned Me Cos’ I’m Barren, Woman Tells Court

Published

7 hours ago

August 23, 2025

Editor

A woman, Wasilat Saka, has pleaded with a Grade 1 Area Court in Kubwa, Abuja (Federal Capital Territory), to dissolve her marriage to her husband, Tajudeen Jimoh, over alleged abandonment and conflicting faith beliefs.

Wasilat told the court that she got married to Jimoh under Islamic Law on July 30, 2022, adding that their marriage did not produce any children.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), she alleged that Jimoh, who claimed to be a Muslim, abandoned her for months shortly after they got married while refusing to perform necessary Islamic rites.

“My husband does not observe the five daily prayers and the Ramadan fast.

“We always quarrel and fight for these reasons.

“I beg the court to grant my request of divorce,” Wasilat said.

Jimoh was absent in court despite being served with the hearing notice.

The judge, Ibrahim Rufai, adjourned the case.

Metro

Our First Child Beat Me Blue And Black After My Wife Turned Them Against Me —Man

Published

7 hours ago

August 23, 2025

Editor

…That was the easiest way I made him pay their fees —Wife

Grade A Customary Court, Court 2, sitting at Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, has given judgment on a divorce suit brought before it by a man, Tajudeen, who dragged his wife, Kafayat, to court, accusing her of showing him no love or affection.

He added that she was troublesome and violent and that she refused to let him have peace of mind.

Tajudeen stated that Kafayat was defiant and never listened to him nor took instruction from him.

The plaintiff explained that the defendant was brutal and always sought every opportunity to fight and hurt him with any dangerous object within her reach.

He added that she refused that he give their children proper training, and that she turned them against him.

According to him, the eldest of their children beat him till he was almost unconscious in the presence of his wife and she saw nothing bad in it.

Tajudeen explained that Kafayat constantly came to his office to fight and disgrace him.

The plaintiff stated that he was fed up with his wife’s unruly behaviour and thus pleaded for divorce.

Kafayat refused that their union be dissolved, stating that she and her husband jointly built their house.

The defendant did not deny being defiant and in the habit of fighting her husband even in his office.

According to her, that was the only way she made her husband commit to his responsibilities in the home and, more importantly, pay their children’s school fees.

Tajudeen, in his evidence, said, “My wife and I got married under Islamic Law and I paid her bride price.

“My marriage to my wife is void of love and care. She made our home a hell to live in.

“I no longer have a say in our home because my wife is rebellious. She never listens to me nor takes orders from me. She would turn every argument between us into a fight.

“Kafayat being a violent person always hits me with dangerous objects within her reach. The scars on my body tell the story.

“Much worse is the fact that my wife refused that I train our children and always instigates them against me.

“The strain in the relationship between our children and me led to our eldest child beating me till I almost fainted.

“My wife was present at the scene and she neither restrained our son nor rebuked him.

“My wife is still not satisfied and would come to my office to fight and disgrace me.

“My lord, I have had enough of my wife and children’s waywardness and cannot take it any longer.

“I pray this honourable court to end our marriage and grant me custody of our children so that I can give them proper training.

“I also request an order restricting her from coming to my office to fight me.”

Kafayat in her response said: “What my husband said is not totally true.

“We met in 1997 and he impregnated me.

“I started living with him although no marital rites were carried out on my behalf. He in addition did not pay my bride price.

“My lord, I do not agree to divorce because we both contributed towards building the house we are living in.

“It is true that I fight him even in his office. I discovered that was the only way I could force him to be committed to his responsibilities in the home and especially paying our children’s school fees.”

Ruling, the court president, Mrs. O. E. Owoseni, said there was no marriage to be dissolved since no customary marriage was held and no bride price was paid.