Operatives of the CP-Special Assignment Team (CP-SAT) under the Delta State Police Command have successfully cracked down on a notorious kidnap syndicate operating across four states—Delta, Rivers, Enugu, and Imo.

This was revealed in a statement released on Tuesday by the command’s spokesperson, SP Bright Edafe, in Warri.

According to the statement, the operation took a significant turn on May 16, 2025, around 5:45 p.m., when CP-SAT operatives tracked down and arrested 21-year-old Idirisu Yakubu in Port Harcourt. Yakubu, originally from Kwara State, was residing in the Elelenwo area of Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

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Following his arrest, Yakubu reportedly confessed and, the next day at approximately 1:20 p.m., led police to the arrest of the gang’s alleged mastermind, 40-year-old Bello Amodu. Amodu hails from Tangaza Local Government Area of Sokoto State but is also based in Elelenwo. He is believed to be the coordinator of various kidnap rings operating in both the South-South and South-East regions.

Further investigation uncovered another syndicate member, Umar Mohammed Beto, aged 38, from Tsamiya village in Bagudu LGA of Kebbi State. Beto, who lives in the Oil Mill area of Port Harcourt, is said to be in charge of operations in the Enugu axis.

Police operatives were subsequently led to a location in a bush along the Ughelli-Ozoro Road, where they recovered an AK-47 rifle with 23 rounds of live ammunition, and a pump-action shotgun loaded with seven live cartridges.

SP Edafe confirmed that the investigation remains ongoing.

In a separate operation, the Eagle Net Surveillance Team based in Ughelli, acting on credible intelligence, tracked a suspected kidnapper and armed robber to a residence in Warri South LGA. The suspect, identified as 53-year-old Benjamin Benemor, was arrested, and a search of his home uncovered a cache of weapons. These included an English Beretta pistol with a magazine, a double-barrel pump-action gun, a single-barrel English shotgun, two locally made firearms, a battle axe, and 15 live cartridges.

Additionally, on May 15, 2025, at about 6:30 a.m., operatives of the Rapid Response Squad, during a routine stop-and-search on the Asaba-Benin Expressway, intercepted a Jetta vehicle with registration number ASB18BH. The car had two male occupants: 49-year-old Blessing Ngbajime and 27-year-old Okpako Oghenhovo. A search of the vehicle reportedly led to the discovery of a fabricated Beretta pistol in Oghenhovo’s possession.

SP Edafe stated that profiling and interrogation of the suspects are currently underway.

Reacting to these breakthroughs, the Delta State Commissioner of Police, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda, applauded the professionalism and bravery displayed by his officers. He stressed the command’s dedication to maintaining public safety.

“These achievements demonstrate the command’s readiness to confront all forms of criminality and the readiness to act decisively against those who threaten the peace and security of the state,” the CP said.

He also urged Delta residents to remain alert and continue to provide valuable information that could assist law enforcement in fighting crime.

Oyo CP Orders Probe Into Fatal Police Shooting Of WASSCE Candidate

The Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, Johnson Adenola, has directed a thorough investigation into the death of a 14-year-old student, Kehinde Alade, who was fatally struck by a stray bullet allegedly fired by a police officer.

According to a report by The PUNCH, the teenager was en route to his examination centre to sit for the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) when the incident occurred in Ibadan.