By ABIRHIRE THOMAS
The Delta State Commissioner of Police, CP Mohammed Ali Ari, addressed a press conference in Asaba Thursday, which he described as one that gave his command another opportunity to reel out the successes it recorded in the fight against kidnapping, cultism and other vices in the state.
According to the police boss, on March 15, 2022 at about 1400 hours, while acting on intelligence gathered, operatives from the command’s Special Anti-Kidnapping and Cyber Crime Squad trailed a suspected kidnapping syndicate operating within Sapele, Oghara and Abraka axis up to their hideout in Oghara, where three of the kidnappers were successfully neutralized by the operatives.
During the operation, he said two AK 47 rifles, three pump action guns and sixty-two rounds of live ammunition were recovered.
He continued: “It will be recalled that on 14/3/2022, a cult clash ensued between Eiye and Arobaga confraternities in Jesse community, Ethiope West local government area where four suspected cultists were killed. I immediately directed the Command State Anti-Cultism Unit, Dragon Patrol, Eagle-net special squad and Safe Delta Patrol teams to Jesse town with a view to ensuring that sanity is immediately restored in the Community.
“Consequently, three members of Arobaga confraternity namely: Victor John ‘m’, Nelson Friday ‘m’ and Festus Friday ‘m’ who were alleged to have killed the four members of Eiye confraternity were arrested and today I am glad to say that they are here with us. Investigation is ongoing, meanwhile sanity has been restored in the community,” he said.
CP Aris said: “As part of measures to forestall any further break down of law and order in any part of the State, I ordered that intensive raiding be carried out on suspected cultists hideouts by DPOS in their areas of responsibilities. In compliance with these directives, the DPO ‘A’ Division Warri led a combined teams of Police/Vigilante Patrol teams and carried out intensive raid at Ogedengbe and Hausa quarters respectively. During the raid, twenty-one suspected cultists were arrested.
“The State Anti-Cultism unit and the Command raiders squad also carried out raids in different parts of the state and arrested Nineteen suspected Cultists.
“I assure you all today that the Command will not relent in the fight against Kidnapping/Cultism and is more than ever before willing to identify, raid, arrest and prosecute anyone found wanting. Parents and guardians are therefore urged to monitor their wards and caution them to shun all forms of criminality as anyone found wanting will be arrested and prosecuted,” he said.
