The Delta State Police Command has recorded major breakthroughs in its ongoing fight against kidnapping, armed robbery, and cult-related violence, with the arrest of 10 suspects and the recovery of firearms, ammunition, illicit drugs, and a stolen vehicle across different parts of the state.

In a statement issued on Thursday, January 22, 2026, the Command said operatives of the Special Anti-Kidnapping and Cybercrime Squad (SAKCCS), acting on credible intelligence, carried out a coordinated follow-up operation in the early hours of January 20, targeting criminal activities reported in Obinoba, Obiaruku, Abraka, Ororokpe, and surrounding communities.

According to the police, the intelligence-led operation was executed along the Jedo/Ugboton–Warri axis, where operatives discreetly tracked a suspect to a notorious criminal hideout allegedly operated by one Oke Jerry Ekokodjie and another suspect identified simply as Ibori. On storming the location, the two principal suspects were arrested alongside three other gang members, while additional suspects escaped through adjoining creeks and waterways.

A search of the hideout led to the recovery of one locally fabricated Beretta-style pistol with three rounds of 9mm live ammunition, a black Mercedes-Benz GLK vehicle, a battle axe, illicit substances in commercial quantity, and a Point-of-Sale (POS) machine. Police said the suspects are currently in custody and undergoing further investigation, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend the fleeing gang members.

In a separate operation on January 22 at about 2:56 a.m., operatives from the Obiaruku Division carried out a targeted raid on a suspected cultists’ hideout at Amai Community in Ndokwa East Local Government Area. During the operation, five suspects were arrested. They were identified as Frank Etiyemonu (36), Chinedu Emeka (25), Festus Nwadiche (26), Azuju Onowu (29), and Ozor Blessing (29).

Items recovered from the hideout include one locally made pistol, two battle axes, quantities of Indian hemp, other suspected hard drugs, and additional dangerous weapons. The suspects have also been taken into custody for further investigation.

Commending the operatives for their professionalism and effective use of intelligence, the Commissioner of Police in Delta State, CP Aina Adesola, reaffirmed the Command’s determination to rid the state of criminal elements through sustained, proactive policing. He urged residents to remain vigilant and continue to support security agencies with timely and credible information, assuring the public of strict confidentiality.