AK-47 rifle, SUV recovered as Delta police arrest armed robbery suspects

The police command in Delta says it has arrested some suspects for alleged involvement in armed robbery and drug trafficking in separate operations in the state.

The police said they recovered one stolen sporty utility vehicle, one AK-47 rifle, four locally-made guns, twenty-seven live cartridges, and other parcels of illicit drugs.

Bridgt Edafe, acting police spokesperson in the state, in a statement on Saturday, noted that the suspects were arrested, owing to the efforts of the police through intensive stop and search and raid of black spots.

“On 23/7/21 at about 0400hrs The DPO Ebrumede Division SP Bolarinwa Alabi while on stop and search duty with crack team attached to the Division at one of the black spot close to DSC roundabout Warri, they flagged down a vehicle for check but the driver refused to stop and zoomed off,” the statement reads.

“Instead, the DPO quickly led a crack team and went after the said vehicle, the occupants of the vehicle realizing that the police were not relenting, abandoned the vehicle, a Toyota RAV4 jeep with a Lagos registration number EPE 949 FF and fled.

“On the 20/7/2021 at about 2200hrs, Dragon patrol teams 27 and 28 while on stop and search duty at Oleh roundabout along Ozoro Ughelli express way intercepted one tricycle blue in colour with Reg. No. URM 826 QR. The driver refused to stop hence the patrol teams went after them.

“Fortunately one of the occupants of the tricycle by name Efe Felix ‘m’ 29yrs of Efe No. 9 Efe street Ozoro was arrested while the other two suspects fled into the bush. Upon search two (2) locally made cut to size guns with twelve (12) live cartridges concealed in a bag were recovered from the battery compartment of the tricycle.

“Similarly, on 21/7/2021 at about 2200hrs ‘B’ Division Ughelli Patrol team while on stop and search duty opposite Ibru Clinic Agbarha-Otor intercepted a Qlink motorcycle with reg no. AUC462 SF ridden by one Udi Alex (m) 45yrs old of winners street Agbarha-Otor with two male occupants.

“The two passengers sensing danger immediately jumped down from the motorcycle and escaped into the bush abandoning a bag. When the bag was searched, a locally made cut to size gun with ten (10) live cartridges, twelve (12) expended cartridges, one Oppo Android phone and three ATM cards were recovered from the bag. The rider who claimed not to know the fleeing suspects was arrested and undergoing interrogation while a manhunt for the two fleeing suspects is ongoing.”