Rita Enemuru, Reporting
IN a sweeping crackdown over the weekend, the Delta State Police Command has dismantled a major cybercrime operation and apprehended two suspected armed criminals, marking a significant victory in the state’s ongoing battle against organised crime.
Intelligence-led operations conducted on March 28th and 29th resulted in the arrest of 36 individuals, the seizure of a small arsenal of high-tech equipment, and the recovery of a loaded firearm.
The first major breakthrough came on Saturday, March 28th, when the Quick Response Squad, led by SP Collins Arrey, stormed a property in Opete. The raid was triggered by a distress call from a concerned relative, who reported that her younger brother was being held against his will and forced to participate in internet fraud.
Upon entering the premises, officers discovered a residential apartment that had been converted into a sophisticated cybercrime hub. Inside, they apprehended 34 suspects who were operating as part of an organised network. Investigators seized a cache of digital equipment, including 37 laptops, an iPad, and seven mobile phones. Perhaps more telling of the operation’s sinister nature was the discovery of a calabash containing suspected charms, suggesting a blend of ritualistic practices and high-tech fraud.
A police source described the Opete location as a “factory for fraud,” where victims were allegedly coerced into generating illicit wealth for the network.
In a separate operation the following morning, the Command’s Department of Operations struck again. At approximately 9:00 am on Sunday, March 29th, patrol officers on the Ogbolu/Illah Road intercepted a tricycle carrying two individuals whose behaviour immediately raised suspicion.
As the officers closed in, the tricycle rider initially feigned compliance. However, one passenger suddenly leapt from the vehicle and bolted into the surrounding bush. A brief pursuit ensued, during which the fleeing suspect reportedly turned on his pursuers, attempting to attack them with a wooden object. Officers quickly subdued him.
A subsequent search of the tricycle yielded a locally fabricated, cut-to-size gun, which was found loaded with two live cartridges. The suspect, identified as Mustapha Musa, 32, from Kogi State, was taken into custody alongside the tricycle rider, Iyanosor Ogbizi, 34. Both are now being held as investigations continue into their suspected criminal enterprise.
Delta State Commissioner of Police, CP Yemi John Oyeniyi, praised the officers for their swift and decisive action. In a statement released by the command’s spokesperson, SP Bright Edafe, the CP reiterated the command’s “resolve to rid the State of all forms of criminality,” adding that the operations underscore a commitment to “intelligence-led policing and rapid response to threats.”
Members of the public have been urged to remain vigilant and to continue partnering with the police by providing timely and credible information.
