Delta State Police Command has dismantled a notorious interstate kidnap syndicate operating across multiple states in southern Nigeria, including Delta, Rivers, and Enugu.
The breakthrough was achieved by operatives of the CP-Special Assignment Team, according to a statement released by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe.
The police operatives, according to the command, trailed members of the syndicate to Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where they apprehended 21-year-old Idirisu Yakubu, a native of Kwara State residing in the city.
His arrest led to the capture of the gang’s alleged kingpin, Bello Amodu, a native of Sokoto State also based in Port Harcourt. Amodu is believed to be the coordinator of various kidnapping cells operating across the South-South and South-East regions.
Further investigations led to the arrest of another key suspect, Umar Mohammed, who is said to oversee the gang’s operations in the Enugu axis. He also took police operatives to a bush in Ughelli, Delta State, where an AK-47 rifle loaded with 23 rounds of live ammunition was recovered.
Weapons seized from the gang include AK-47 rifles, Baretta pistols, magazines, and cutlasses reportedly used in their criminal operations.
Delta State Commissioner of Police, Olufemi Abaniwonda, commended the efforts of the officers involved and reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to tackling crime and ensuring the safety of residents across the region.