Delta Police Command nets in 25 criminal suspects over various crimes

·       CP reiterates call for peaceful coexistence

·         Speaks on Aladja/Ogbe-Ijoh communal crisis, herdsmen, missing policemen

Delta State Police Command Headquarters, Asaba on Thursday, 23/2/2017 show cased breakthroughs recorded in its efforts to combat and reduce crime in the state with a total haul of 25 criminal suspects in its net.

CP Zanna Ibrahim being interviewed by journalists.

The arrests were over crimes covering kidnapping with 12 suspects arrested and armed robbery with seven suspects arrested. In all three locally made guns were recovered, two pump action guns, three dane guns and nine live cartridges were recovered. Also recovered were three vehicles.

Addressing journalists at a press conference showcasing the suspects, the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Zanna  M. Ibrahim appealed for continuous support from all and sundry in the fight against criminal elements in the society. He enjoined all Deltans and residents in the state to always toe the path of peace and peaceful co-existence so that the state can progress.

While assuring Deltans that the Command is poised to flush out criminal herdsmen and other criminal elements from Delta State, he clarified his earlier directive to herdsmen not to graze their cattle on farm lands, even as he appealed to farmers to always follow lawful means in addressing issues instead of resorting to jungle justice.

Suspects paraded at the Police command headquarters.

“Let me at this juncture, reiterate the fact that I did not and at no time had I  ever issued order to the effect that herdsmen or any person or group of Nigerians should vacate Delta State. Needless to state that the Constitution of Nigeria recognizes the rights of Nigerians to live in whatever part of the country they choose, and I, as the Chief enforcer of the laws and Constitution of Nigeria in Delta State cannot be ignorant of this. All I have stated both here and elsewhere is that herdsmen should always abide by the rules and ethos of the people they live with,” the Commissioner of Police said.

Compol with  7-year-old boy recovered from kidnap suspects.

He announce that the State Police Command has received reports of herdsmen’s problems in some parts of the state. “ We equally received reports of reprisal attacks and killing of herdsmen. The Command is doing its best to bring about lasting solution to the issues,” Mr. Ibrahim said.

On the Ogbe-Ijoh/ Aladja communal crisis Ibrahim announced that on the advice of the Delta state Security Council, the State government has acquired the land in dispute and has begun the clearing of the bushes in the area to prevent further ambush and attack by the communities against each other.

Suspected criminals, their alleged loot and gadgets including a
 car tracker neutralizer. 

“I recently visited the disputed land to see the level of work being done and boost the morale of security operatives deployed to maintain peace in the affected area,” he disclosed.

On the missing policemen, Ibrahim recalled that on 5/2/2017, in an effort to apprehend reported criminal herdsmen who engaged in forceful grazing on farm lands, rape and armed robbery at Agadama community, the Area Commander in charge Ughelli Area Command led some patrol teams to Agadama bush.

He said that on sighting the security operatives, the herdsmen engaged them in a fierce gun duel. “At the end of the encounter, police inspector and Corporal were reported missing. Regrettably, the corpse of the missing Inspector was later found floating on a river within the community. He was suspected to have drowned in the river. Meanwhile, efforts are in place to ensure that the remaining missing officer is found,” the commissioner of Police stated.