Operatives of the Special Anti-Kidnapping and Cybercrime Squad (SAKCCS) of the Delta State Police Command have arrested 10 suspected kidnappers and armed robbers in different parts of the state.
The arrests were announced in a statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, and released to journalists in Warri on Thursday.
According to the statement, at about 4:30 a.m. on January 20, 2026, SAKCCS operatives, acting on credible intelligence, carried out a coordinated follow-up operation linked to reported cases of kidnapping and armed robbery in Obinoba, Obiaruku, Abraka, Ororokpe and nearby communities.
“The intelligence-led operation, which was executed along the Jedo/Ugboton–Warri axis, saw operatives discreetly trail a suspect to a notorious criminal hideout allegedly operated by one Oke Jerry Ekokodjie (male) and one Ibori (surname unknown).
“Upon storming the location, the principal suspects — Oke Jerry Ekokodjie and Ibori — alongside three others, were arrested, while some members of the gang escaped through adjoining creeks and waterways.
“A thorough search of the premises led to the recovery of one locally fabricated Beretta-style pistol with three rounds of 9mm live ammunition, one black Mercedes-Benz GLK, one battle axe, illicit substances in commercial quantity, and one Point-of-Sale (POS) machine,” the statement said.
Edafe disclosed that the suspects are currently in police custody undergoing further investigation, adding that efforts are ongoing to arrest the fleeing gang members.
In a separate operation, the police spokesperson revealed that at about 2:56 a.m. on January 22, 2026, operatives from the Obiaruku Division carried out a targeted raid on a suspected cultists’ hideout in Amai Community, Ndokwa East Local Government Area.
During the raid, five suspects were apprehended. They were identified as Frank Etiyemonu (36), Chinedu Emeka (25), Festus Nwadiche (26), Azuju Onowu (29), and Ozor Blessing (29).
A search of the hideout resulted in the recovery of one locally made pistol, two battle axes, quantities of Indian hemp and other suspected hard drugs, along with additional dangerous weapons.
The suspects remain in custody as investigations continue.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, CP Aina Adesola, praised the operatives “for their professionalism and effective use of actionable intelligence.”
He reiterated the command’s resolve to rid Delta State of criminal elements through sustained, proactive and intelligence-driven policing, and called on residents to remain vigilant and support the police with timely and credible information, assuring them of strict confidentiality.
In a related development, previously reported that the Delta State Police Command had launched a manhunt for six suspected kidnappers who escaped during a gun battle with operatives in the Upper Agbarho area of the state, where arms and ammunition were also recovered.
