The Delta State Police Command has arrested four suspected criminals, including two alleged kidnappers and two suspected armed robbers, in separate operations across the state as part of its ongoing crackdown on violent crime.
The Command’s spokesperson, SP Bright Edafe, disclosed in a statement that operatives of the Ugborikoko Division arrested two suspects linked to an attempted robbery after they were apprehended by vigilant members of the public on June 23, 2026. Preliminary investigations revealed that one of the suspects had unlawfully entered a residential compound but fled after noticing the occupants. Community members swiftly apprehended him along with an accomplice and handed them over to the police.
Acting on intelligence obtained during interrogation, police operatives searched the suspects’ residence and recovered a locally made pistol concealed inside a wardrobe. The suspects remain in police custody while investigations continue to determine their involvement in other criminal activities.
In a separate operation, operatives of the ‘A’ Division, Ughelli, working alongside members of a local vigilante group, arrested two suspected kidnappers identified as Iliyasu Hassan, 16, and Idris Abdulkarim, 32. The suspects were apprehended on June 22 after emerging from a nearby forest to purchase food and medication, following a failed kidnap attempt on June 19.
Police said one of the victims of an earlier kidnapping incident positively identified the suspects as members of the gang that attacked him. The suspects are currently in custody, while efforts have been intensified to apprehend other members of the criminal syndicate and recover weapons used in their operations.
Commending the vigilance of residents and the cooperation between community stakeholders and security agencies, the Commissioner of Police, CP Yemi Oyeniyi, reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to protecting lives and property across Delta State. He urged members of the public to continue providing timely and credible information to support ongoing efforts to rid the state of criminal elements.
