By Michael Odiah
The Delta State Commissioner for Police CP. Muhammad A. Mustafa, mni, today paraded 35 suspects encapsulating 16 suspected Kidnappers from 4 kidnap cases, 7 suspected cultists from 1 cult case, 4 suspected robbers from 5 robbery cases, 3 suspected murders from 2 murder cases and 5 suspects from 4 other cases.
The CP while parading the suspects disclosed that 7 locally made guns, 2 live cartridges, 3 Ak47 riffles, 193rounds of ammunition’s and 1 vehicle was recovered stressing that the success recorded so far is a credit not only to the Police, but to all well-meaning persons who have been assisting us by providing us with timely and useful information in the fight against criminal elements in the state.
Mustafa further said that It is equally important to acknowledge and appreciate the collaborative efforts of sister security agencies, taking cognizance of breakthroughs in recent past wish is evident in facts of the different cases as in one of the cases which he said “following information received through discreet Intelligence gathering that one Ignatius Ogboi, a business man and Pastor of Salvation Army Church Mbiri, Ika North East LG, Delta State who specializes in sponsoring kidnapping/armed robbery operations within Agbor, Umunede and its environs, operatives of SAKCCS Asaba led by the O/C , stormed his residence with a duly signed search warrant, arrested him and recovered a loaded English Made double barrel gun, three thousand eight hundred and seventy one live cartridges, some prohibited drugs and undisclosed amount of money believed to be ransom collected from victims.”
The CP informed that In line with the directive of the Inspector-General of Police for total enforcement of the firearm Act banning the possession and use of illegal and prohibited firearms, ammunition, weapons and devices locally fabricated or modified that can cause death or injury to persons, the Delta State Police Command has constituted a task force headed by the Assistant Commissioner of Police in-charge Operations Department, ACP. Wagbara Peter to immediately commence the mopping up of the afore-listed categories of weapons in the state.
Consequently, the general public, individuals and groups such as vigilantes and neighbourhood watch, town unions, hunters and watch night men or any group or association under any capacity or guise other than statutory Security Agencies recognized and gazetted by the Federal Government of Nigeria to bear firearms of specified category, who are currently possessing and using prohibited/illegal firearms such as pump action gun of all categories and the likes for whatsoever purpose in the state are hereby given twenty-one (21) days with effect from today, 1st March, 2018, to surrender them to the Commissioner of Police through the Area Commanders of their places of domicile.
No license will be given or recognized in respect of prohibited firearms and ammunition except if granted by the President and Commander-In-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria upon the recommendation of the Inspector-General of Police. I therefore implore concerned citizens, general public, and Local Government Authorities to prevail on their vigilantes, neighbourhood watch, civil security outfits and watch night men and others attached to any organization including public and private institutions in the state to surrender within the time limit of 21 days, all the prohibited firearms in their possession. Anyone found with prohibited firearms after the expiration of the 21 days will be arrested, investigated and prosecuted, as the police will not hesitate to apply the full weight of the law on any individual or group whose conduct, under any guise, run contrary to the law of the land.
Speaking further CP Mustafa stressed that members of the public should be vigilant enough to report to Commissioner of Police, Area Commanders and Divisional Police Officers nearest to them anyone bearing, possessing or in custody of the above mentioned prohibited firearms anywhere in the state and to continue to repose confidence in the police and give us necessary cooperation in our desire to reduce crime to the barest minimum level in the state.
