A young woman, Ms. Blessing Ibuku, was among more than 30 individuals paraded by the Delta State Police Command on Tuesday for crimes including robbery, kidnapping, cultism, and murder.
The command also announced the recovery of 150 arms, including 32 AK-47 rifles, as part of its ongoing efforts to tackle crime in the state.
While briefing journalists at the command’s headquarters in Asaba, the Delta State Commissioner of Police, Abaniwonda Olufemi, disclosed that Ibuku was arrested for the murder of her 10-month-old baby, Prevail Jonathan.
According to Olufemi, Ibuku admitted to throwing her baby into a community river after facing ridicule over the child’s fatherless status.
“This tragic incident is just one of the many cases we’ve tackled since I assumed office as the 22nd Commissioner of Police in February 2024. These suspects were arrested in the past month. While we have faced challenges, the support of other security agencies, stakeholders, and the good people of Delta State has enabled us to restore peace to a reasonable extent,” Olufemi said.
The grim case of Prevail Jonathan began when the baby was reported missing on December 4, 2024. After investigations, the police recovered the infant’s lifeless body from the Aviara community river.
Ibuku later confessed to committing the crime on November 31, 2024, explaining that the relentless mockery of her peers drove her to such a devastating act. She is now in custody as investigations continue.
In a separate incident on November 27, 2024, Olufemi recounted how the police responded to a distress call about a kidnapping along DLA Road in Asaba.
Four armed men, using a Toyota Camry with registration number BLF 490 AA, abducted two victims and stole another Toyota Camry.
Acting swiftly, the command’s Special Anti-Kidnapping and Cyber Crime Squad tracked the suspects to the Asaba-Benin Expressway.
Although the victims were released, the suspects abandoned their operational vehicle upon spotting the police and fled into a nearby bush.
The police recovered an AK-47 rifle with a defaced breach number, two pump-action guns, one magazine, eight rounds of AK-47 ammunition, and 21 live cartridges hidden under the vehicle’s engine.
Olufemi also highlighted another successful operation on December 2, 2024. A combined team from SAKCCS, the Rapid Response Squad, and the Buffalo Squad raided a criminal hideout behind Anioma Market in Asaba, arresting ten suspects linked to multiple robberies across Asaba, Okpanam, and Issele-Uku. Several arms were seized during the operation.
In yet another case, Olufemi shared details about the arrest of one Destiny Lawrence, who confessed to being hired by a native doctor named Jonah from the Otolokpo community.
Lawrence reportedly lured a young boy to an uncompleted building, where Jonah allegedly killed the victim by slitting his throat, all for a payment of N30,000.
Providing a summary of the command’s achievements, Olufemi revealed that 678 suspects had been arrested and 150 arms recovered, including 32 AK-47 and AK-49 rifles, within the review period. He reiterated the Delta State Police Command’s dedication to ensuring public safety and called on residents to continue providing actionable intelligence to aid their operations.
