IN the relentless fight against crime, statistics alone don’t tell the whole story. But when a police command announces the arrest of 95 suspects, the seizure of 16 firearms, and the dismantling of multiple kidnapping syndicates in a single month, it points to a deeper, more strategic operation at play.
The September 2025 performance of the Delta State Police Command, as detailed by Commissioner CP Olufemi Abaniwonda, is less a list of isolated incidents and more a symphony of coordinated strikes.
It’s a story of intelligence-led raids, fierce gun battles, and a widening net that stretched from the creeks of Delta to neighbouring states.
The standout feature of this period was the command’s sophisticated use of intelligence. This wasn’t just about responding to distress calls; it was about pre-empting crime and pursuing perpetrators across state lines.
In a case that reads like a thriller, the CP-Special Assignment Team tracked suspected kidnappers from the Upper-Agbarho axis all the way to Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and Owerri, Imo State. The arrest of Abubakar Musa and Yusuf Sale demonstrates a command unwilling to let borders become barriers to justice. The recovery of a “network jammer circuit device” from a kidnapper’s hideout in Ogwashi-Uku reveals a new frontier in the war on crime. This find is crucial—it shows criminals are upping their game, but so is police awareness, turning their own tools into evidence against them.
The sheer volume of weaponry recovered is a tangible metric of success. The 16 firearms weren’t just pistols; they included multiple AK-47 rifles, pump actions, and a variety of locally fabricated weapons. The 94 rounds of live ammunition recovered represent dozens of potential tragedies averted. The operations were often swift and violent.
In separate incidents in Upper-Agbarho and Boji Boji Owa, police engaged kidnappers in “fierce gun duels,” leading to the neutralization of four armed suspects. As the Commissioner noted in one engagement: “The operatives engaged the suspects in a fierce gun duel, during which the suspects… sustained gunshot injuries… Two police operatives also sustained gunshot injuries.”
This quote underscores the very real and dangerous price of this success.
Repeatedly, the press statement credited successes to collaboration with local vigilantes. This partnership was the linchpin in operations ranging from intercepting church vandals in Ogwashi-Uku to arresting armed robbers in Asaba. This “community shield” approach extends beyond formal partnerships. The Command’s plea for citizens to report suspicious activity, backed by visible results, is designed to foster a culture of collective vigilance. The rescue of a hypnotized abduction victim, Rebecca Mathew, from a remote community, is a powerful testament to what happens when intelligence from the public meets proactive police work.
