*Kidnap victim rescued, 13 cultists arrested, vehicle, ammunition recovered from other scenes of crime
By ABIRHIRE THOMAS, South South
An armed robbery gang leader popularly known as Getay and his gang members met their waterloo Friday 25 February, 2022 as the operatives of ‘B’ Division, Warri, Delta State Command of the Nigerian Police Force caught them in the act.
Our Correspondent reports that it was at about 14.20 hours on the said day when the security agents, while on Aberdeen patrol along Lower Erejuwa by old Welfare Road, responding to distress call about the gang operating around the neighbour and they zoomed to the scene of crime.
Getay, who was said to have been on the wanted list of the state police command, opened fire upon sighting the security team but he and his gang were overpowered by responses from the fire power of the police operatives during gun duel leading to him sustaining injuries, while others escaped.
The criminal, however, gave up the ghost while receiving treatment in the hospital.
Recovered from him were “One cut-to-size double barrel gun, one (1) live cartridge, two (2) expended cartridges were recovered. Investigation is ongoing,” the Delta State Command confirmed the report in a statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Bright Edafe.
A day before that, precisely Thursday 24/02/2022 at about 2230hrs, the police command also said its operatives of Dragon 18 Patrol team, while on routine stop and search duty along ECN/Otu-Jeremi Aladja road by Ewhrekekan junction, ran into a gang of kidnappers but also powered them and rescued their victims, who is a 62-year-old man (names withheld).
This happened when the patrol team sighted a Mercedes Benz ML 350 and Lexus 350 parked by the road side, “while observing the two vehicles, a kidnapped victim (name withheld) aged 62yrs on sighting the police raised an alarm that he has been kidnapped.”
It became clearer when suddenly gunshots were heard while the police operatives swung into action and advanced towards the vehicles in response to the cry of the victim but they immediately returned the criminals’ gunshots with superior gunfire leading to them hoodlums abandoning the victim and escaped into the bush.
“The victim was rescued by the team. The Victim said he was kidnapped at about 1850hrs of same date, at the entrance of his gate in Afisere road Ughelli. One Mercedes Benz ML 350 black colour with Reg. No. EKY 964 DP belonging to the victim, one AK47 magazine loaded with eight rounds of 7.62 ammunition were recovered from the scene of crime.
Same Thursday 24/2/2022 at about 2100 hours, the Division Police Officer (DPO) of Issele-Uku Division, acting on intelligence that Aiye confraternity will be holding their initiation ceremony at Ukwu Nzu forest, detailed a combined team of police and civilian anti-cult teams to the venue and successfully foiled the initiation process.
“During the raid, thirteen suspected cultists were arrested, a locally made double barrel shot gun, twenty-five live cartridges, a Toyota Corolla with reg no. GRA 68 SG and a lexus 350 SUV with reg no BDG 689 GQ were recovered. Investigation is ongoing,” the Delta State Police said.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Ari Muhammed Ali, while appreciating members of the public particularly Deltans for their immense contributions and support in the fight against criminality in the state, also urged them not only to be law abiding but also to be vigilant.
He also advised the youths to desist from all cult-related activities as, he said, “cultism is the bedrock of most prevalent crimes in the society today and as such will not be tolerated in the state.”
The CP said, “The Command has put all measures in place with a view to bringing an end to cultism in the State.”
To this end, the CP has ordered all Area Commanders, DPOS, Tactical Commanders and the Command Anticult unit to identify cultists’ hideouts, carry out continuous raids, arrest and ensure that anyone found wanting be made to face the full wrath of the law.
