The Delta State Police Command has arrested a suspected kidnapper and armed robber, recovering an AK-47 rifle and 63 rounds of live ammunition during the operation.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Saturday by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, in Warri.
According to the statement, the arrest was made on April 29, 2026, at about 8:10 p.m., when operatives of the CP Special Assignment Team, acting on credible intelligence, apprehended a 45-year-old suspect identified as Shehu Malami at Ogor Market.
Police said the suspect subsequently led operatives to his hideout in Agbarha-Otor, where an AK-47 rifle and 63 rounds of live ammunition were recovered.
Preliminary investigations, according to the police, indicate that the suspect is a member of a kidnapping syndicate allegedly terrorising several communities, including Ughelli, Agbarho, Sapele, and Warri.
The police added that efforts are ongoing to track down and arrest other members of the gang.
In a related development, the command said that on May 2, 2026, at about 8:35 a.m., the Assistant Commissioner of Police (Operations), acting on intelligence, led a joint team of operatives from the Buffalo, Crack, and Operation Delta Shield units to a bush near the Customs checkpoint along the Benin–Asaba Expressway.
A search of the area, the police said, led to the recovery of another AK-47 rifle, six rounds of live ammunition, and a Beretta pistol.
Investigations into both incidents are ongoing, with security operatives intensifying efforts to identify and apprehend other suspects connected to the recovered weapons.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Yemi Oyeniyi, reaffirmed the command’s commitment to tackling criminal activities and maintaining security across the state.
He also urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious movements or individuals to the police, assuring that the identities of informants would be treated with strict confidentiality.
