Officers and men of the Delta State Police Command have been commended for the gallantry displayed to guarantee the peace and safety of residents and businesses in the area.
The Police Commissioner in Delta State, Mr. Wale Abass applauded the commitment of the officers and men to crime fighting with particular reference to stemming the rate of kidnappings across the state.
Abbas, who noted with satisfaction the intensified efforts of policemen within the command against crime, pledged to ensure that residents of Delta State enjoy the forthcoming Nigerian Independence Day celebration as well as end-of-year festivities.
He said, “The command has been on the trail of the leader of a dreaded kidnapping syndicate responsible for the bank robbery operation at a wetland microfinance bank in Udu LGA in the year 2021. The syndicate has been on the command’s most wanted list.”
A sting operation
According to a statement signed by Deputy Superintendent of Police, Mr. Bright Edafe, the police commissioner, acting on credible intelligence, detailed operatives under the Ekpan Division to embark on a sting operation.
“The Divisional Police Officer of Ekpan, Mr. Aliyu Shaba led a team of Police operatives in a sting operation to the hideout of ‘Momotimi’ and his gang members in River State, in a combined effort with operatives of River State Police Command’s Rapid Response Team (RRT) and arrested the said David Momotimi aged 32yrs, a native of Morogun Community Warri alongside three members of his gang,” it indicated.
The statement further indicated, “Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects were planning a ferocious mission of armed robbery in Warri before their arrest and among his gang members is a POS operator, who also provides the gang with information about potential kidnap victims.
“One of the suspects agreed to lead the operatives to their hideout in Warri, but on their way, the operatives were ambushed by hoodlums suspected to be members of the gang. In a bid to rescue the arrested suspects, the hoodlums engaged the police in a fierce gun duel.
“However, the operatives successfully subdued and repelled the attackers. In the process, two police officers sustained gunshot injuries, while the four suspects, in a bid to escape, ran into the crossfire and sustained serious gunshot injuries. They were taken to the General Hospital, Kwale where they were certified dead,” it stated.
During a thorough search of the scene, the police found a corpse suspected to be one of the attackers and recovered two (2) defaced AK-47 rifles, four (4) magazines, (26) twenty-six rounds of 7.62mm ammunition and (47) forty-seven spent shells of 7.62mm ammunition.
The statement added, “The Commissioner for Police also commended the collaboration of members of the public which led to the arrest of the suspects and appealed to anyone with information that would assist the police successfully apprehend other suspects to share by calling dedicated lines already in the public domain.”
Dominica Nwabufo
