Troops of the 63 Brigade, operating under Sector 1 of the Joint Task Force South South, Operation DELTA SAFE, have dismantled a criminal gang and recovered a significant cache of arms and ammunition in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State.
In a statement released by the acting Assistant Director of Army Public Relations for the 63 Brigade, Captain Iliyasu Bawa-Rijau, the military confirmed that the successful raid was triggered by credible intelligence regarding the group’s nefarious activities in the Ibusa area.
The operation initially led to the arrest of two suspected members of a notorious local cult group.
Troops recovered two pump-action rifles from the suspects and an additional three pump-action rifles from individuals claiming to be local vigilantes.
Following up on the initial success, troops conducted a thorough search of the Umuisiagba area.
This “combing” operation resulted in the discovery and recovery of eight more pump-action rifles, bringing the total number of seized weapons to 13.
A total of 13 suspects were taken into custody during the operation.
They have been identified as: Nwaokonta Elvis, Obi Victor Woke, Uba Elijah, Nonso Ibiora, Dumbili Ezefili, Ndefu Ifeanyi, Ozemene Richard, Broderick Patrick, Nwaokonta Afamefile, Kelvin Ejiani, Victor Ogochukwu, Ogadi Kelvin Ikechukwu, and Ndibuisi Obiogonna, who is alleged to be a native doctor for the group.
The suspects and the recovered weaponry have been handed over to the relevant security agencies for further investigation and prosecution.
The Commander of the 63 Brigade, Brigadier General MA Shonibare, commended the troops for their vigilance and professional conduct.
He reiterated the military’s commitment to prioritizing the safety of lives and property in Delta State, charging his personnel to maintain a sustained crackdown on all criminal networks in the region.