Police arrest over 627 suspects, recover 27 AK-47 rifles in Delta

The Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda. Photo: Police.

The Delta State Police Command says it has arrested over 627 suspects and recovered 144 firearms, including 27 AK-47/AK-49 rifles, in one year.

The Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, CP Abaniwonda Olufemi, disclosed this on Monday at the police headquarters in Asaba.

He said, “I welcome you to this briefing, convened to present an account of the operational achievements and progress recorded by the Delta State Police Command from January 2025 to date. As Commissioner of Police, Delta State Police Command, I consider it my duty to brief the public on our performance and measures taken to safeguard life and property in the State.

“In line with the mandate of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, to ensure a safe, peaceful, and crime-free environment across the country, I have directed officers and men of the Delta State Police Command to remain proactive, professional, and fully committed to the protection of lives and property across the State.

“This commitment has, within the year under review, resulted in the arrest of over 627 suspects, recovery of 144 firearms, comprising 27 AK-47/AK-49 rifles, 25 Beretta pistols, 56 single-barreled and locally fabricated cut-to-size guns, 6,930 rounds of ammunition/cartridges, among others, significantly degrading the operational capacity of criminal elements.”

He added, “The Command recorded the arrest of over 627 suspects, which includes one 140 suspected armed robbers,113 suspected kidnappers,125 murder suspects,187 suspected cultists, 62 suspects arrested for rape and defilement offences, and 36 million ransom recovered within the period under review.

“Within the period under review, the Command adopted a proactive, intelligence-driven and community-centred policing strategy, working with sister security agencies and community stakeholders (Vigilante, Anti-cult volunteers, PCRC, CSOs, traditional rulers, etc) to sustain targeted operations against criminal networks.”

Olufemi noted that the prime suspects in the murder of retired Justice Ifeoma Okogwu have been arrested.

According to him, following the gruesome murder of Justice Ifeoma Okogwu (Rtd), which occurred on the 24th of November 2025 at her residence. Acting on credible intelligence, on December 6, 2025, operatives of the Homicide Section, State CID, Asaba, arrested one Godwin Mngumi, 25, who is a security guard attached to the residence of the deceased.

He said the suspect was found in possession of one of the late Justice’s mobile phones and, upon interrogation, he made a voluntary confession and admitted to inviting his accomplice, one Nnaji Obalum, 21 years old, to perpetrate the crime.

“The suspects confessed that on November 23, 2025, they, alongside a third suspect currently at large, entered the home of the deceased, tied her with a rope and cloth, and murdered her. They thereafter stole her valuables, including two phones and a wristwatch, which they disposed of for a meagre sum. One of the stolen phones has been recovered in Ogbogonogo market, Asaba. Investigation is ongoing.”

Recall that on Saturday, the Enugu State Police Command announced the arrest of six suspected cult members in the state.

The command’s spokesperson, SP Daniel Ndukwe, said the suspects were arrested by the Anti-Cultism Unit of the command while attempting to force people to be initiated into the Supreme Vikings Confraternity.

He added that several items were recovered, including a gun, cutlasses, and alcoholic drinks.