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By Faheem Lawal
The Delta State Police Command has arrested five suspected armed robbers and uncovered a scrap yard in Warri allegedly being used as an operational base by a criminal gang.
The operation also led to the recovery of three locally made single-barrelled guns, one live cartridge, a stolen vehicle, three motorcycles, 22 air-conditioning units, 13 washing machines, 29 motorcycle and tricycle engines, musical equipment, television sets, a generator, a laptop and other suspected stolen property.
The recoveries were made during three separate operations carried out by operatives of the Orerokpe, Ekpan and Agbor Divisions on September 19, 2026.
The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, disclosed this in a statement yesterday.
According to him, the first operation took place when operatives of the Orerokpe Division, working with members of the Civilian Anti-Cult group, intercepted two Toyota Sienna vehicles conveying musical equipment under suspicious circumstances along the Warri-Sapele Road.
Edafe said the occupants of the vehicles fled on sighting the police, but operatives arrested one of them, identified as Lawrence Onowenakpo, 45. A search of the vehicles, he said, led to the recovery of three locally made single-barrelled long guns and one live cartridge.
During interrogation, Onowenakpo allegedly identified Ajeh Zephaniah, alias “Fanta”, as the gang leader.
Edafe said Zephaniah had previously been arrested and arraigned for armed robbery but was later granted bail on health grounds. He added that further investigation led the operatives to a scrap yard in Warri, suspected to be the gang’s operational base, where the other items were recovered.
The items recovered from the scrap yard included three motorcycles, 22 air-conditioning units, 13 washing machines, 29 motorcycle and tricycle engines, musical equipment, television sets, a generator, a laptop and other suspected stolen property.
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“Preliminary investigation links the gang to recent armed robberies within the Kwale and Warri axes,” Edafe said, adding that a manhunt was ongoing for Zephaniah and other fleeing members of the gang.
In a separate operation later the same day, at about 6:40pm, operatives of the Ekpan Division responded to a distress call concerning a man allegedly threatening people around the Scrap Yard axis of the Effurun-Sapele Road.
The operatives arrested Meshach Onovoisa, 23, and recovered one locally made single-barrelled gun from him.
The suspect allegedly admitted during preliminary interrogation that he was an armed robber.
In the third operation, operatives of the Agbor Division arrested three suspects identified as Agbaja Promise, 20; Emmanuel Ovieh, 25; and Odiri Dama, 25, all from Benin City, Edo State.
The suspects were allegedly arrested while attempting to sell a Hijet mini bus with registration number BEN-485-XH for N300,000 without producing documents of ownership.
The vehicle was recovered, while its rightful owner was identified and contacted.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Samuel Erale, commended the operatives and members of the public whose cooperation contributed to the successes.
Erale reiterated the command’s resolve to dismantle criminal networks and sustain aggressive operations against criminal elements across the state.
