The Delta State Police Command has arrested five suspected criminals and recovered three pump-action guns as well as three motorcycles believed to have been stolen during separate operations across the state.
The command’s spokesperson, SP Bright Edafe, disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday, saying the arrests were part of ongoing efforts to tackle violent crime in Delta State.
According to the statement, operatives of the ‘C’ Division in Asaba arrested a suspect, Joseph Tyavzua, during a stop-and-search operation along the Asaba-Onitsha Expressway on July 27, 2026.
Edafe said the suspect was travelling on a commercial motorcycle to Onitsha when officers found a pump-action gun in his possession.
Although the suspect claimed to be a member of a vigilante group, he could not provide any legal document authorising him to carry the firearm.
“The gun was recovered, and the suspect remains in custody while investigations continue,” the police spokesperson said.
In a separate operation on the same day, operatives of the Ekpan Division arrested two suspected armed robbers following the reported robbery of a commercial motorcyclist along Jakpa Road in Effurun.
The suspects, identified as Edodo Gift, 41, and Emoefe Solomon, 27, allegedly confessed to the crime during interrogation.
Police said the suspects later led investigators to two other men, Fodio Bello, 27, and Kabiru Mohammed, 25, who were suspected of receiving stolen property in Otowhe, near Oleh.
The operation led to the recovery of two additional pump-action guns and three motorcycles suspected to have been stolen during robbery operations.
All four suspects are in police custody, while efforts are ongoing to arrest other members of the gang.
Commending the officers for the successful operations, the Commissioner of Police, Yemi Oyeniyi, said the command would continue to rely on intelligence-driven policing to track down violent criminals.
He also appealed to residents to support the police by providing timely, useful information that could help prevent crime and improve security across the state.
