From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
The Delta State Police Command yesterday said its strategies to reduce crime during the ember months were paying off, following the recent arrest of six suspected armed robbers in Asaba, the state capital.
The Public Relations Officer of the command, DSP Bright Edafe, who made the disclosure in a statement, said there was a special team emplaced by the state Commissioner of Police, Wale Abass, for the ember months.
He said the team comprises all tactical formations, including RRS, Raiders, CP- Decoy, Eagle net, Safer Highway, Safe Delta, Special Anti-Kidnapping and Cyber Crime Squad, Crack Squad, CP monitoring and CP X-Squad. He said during a night patrol, along Asaba-Benin road, the team intercepted an unregistered commercial shuttle bus with four male passengers.
“During a search of the bus, one English Beretta pistol and one dagger were recovered from one of the occupants identified as Ishiaku Ya’u. The suspect and exhibits are in custody, and investigation has commenced. Efforts are being intensified to track down members of his gang and recover other weapons,” he said.
Edafe stated that in a similar operation on the same route, the team intercepted another shuttle bus with two male passengers.
He added: “Upon search of the passengers, one locally made cut-to-size gun and two live cartridges were recovered from them. Suspects were arrested immediately, and they have since been charged to court. The command has so far arrested a total of six suspected armed robbers, some of which have been charged to court, while two English made pistols and four locally made guns have been recovered.”