The Delta State Police Command has recorded wide-ranging operational gains over the past year, citing hundreds of arrests, major arms recoveries, and the disruption of violent criminal networks across the state from January 2025 to date under the mandate of the Inspector-General of Police.
The operations, carried out across several blackspots in the state, were said to have weakened criminal groups through arrests linked to robbery, kidnapping, murder, cultism, and sexual offences, alongside the seizure of rifles, pistols, locally made weapons, and thousands of rounds of ammunition.
Commissioner of Delta Police Command, Abaniwonda Olufemi, disclosed this on Monday during a briefing at the police headquarters in Asaba. He stated that within the period under review, over 627 suspects were arrested while 144 firearms were recovered from criminals across the state.
A breakdown of the arrests includes 140 suspected armed robbers, 113 suspected kidnappers, 125 murder suspects, 187 suspected cultists, and 62 suspects arrested for rape and defilement offences, with 36 million naira in ransom recovered from arrested kidnappers.
Olufemi added that the arms recoveries included 27 AK-47/AK-49 rifles, 25 Beretta pistols, 56 single-barreled and locally fabricated cut-to-size guns, and 6,930 rounds of ammunition/cartridges, stating that the seizures degraded the operational capacity of criminal elements.
The commissioner attributed this feat to sustained enforcement efforts directed at protecting lives and property, adding that officers were instructed to remain proactive, professional, and firmly committed to public safety.
On a high-profile case, he said prime suspects in the murder of retired Justice Ifeoma Okogwu had been arrested following intelligence-led investigations by the State Criminal Investigation Department.
According to him, “Acting on credible intelligence, on December 6, 2025, operatives of the Homicide Section, State CID, Asaba, arrested one Godwin Mngumi, 25,” a security guard attached to the residence, who was found with one of the victim’s phones.
“The suspects confessed that on November 23, 2025, they, alongside a third suspect currently at large, entered the home of the deceased, tied her with a rope and cloth, and murdered her,” he said, adding that investigations were still underway.
He further reaffirmed the command’s commitment to maintaining law and order across Delta State, stressing that the safety and security of lives and property remain the top priority of the police.
Olufemi emphasized that the command would continue to adopt proactive, intelligence-led operations to dismantle criminal networks, curb violent crimes, and prevent future incidents.
He added that collaboration with community leaders, vigilante groups, and other security agencies would be intensified to ensure that criminal activities are detected early and neutralized before they escalate.
The commissioner also reiterated that the police would remain steadfast in upholding the rule of law, promoting public confidence in law enforcement, and ensuring that Delta State remains safe and secure for residents, businesses, and visitors alike.
