In a major victory against organized crime, the Delta State Police Command’s CP-Special Assignment Team has dismantled a notorious interstate kidnapping syndicate active in several states including Delta, Rivers, Enugu, and Imo.
The police disclosed the details in a statement signed by SP Bright Edafe, the command’s public relations officer, during a press briefing in Warri on Tuesday.
The operation began on May 16, 2025, when officers traced a suspect to Port Harcourt. They arrested 21-year-old Idirisu Yakubu, a Kwara State native living in Elelenwo. Yakubu’s interrogation the following day led to the capture of the syndicate’s leader, Bello Amodu, who coordinates the group’s activities across the South-South and South-East regions. Amodu, 40, hails from Sokoto State but also resides in Elelenwo.
Further investigation resulted in the arrest of Umar Mohammed Beto, 38, from Kebbi State, who heads the Enugu faction of the syndicate. Following their leads, police recovered two firearms—a loaded AK-47 and a pump-action gun—hidden in a bush along the Ughelli-Ozoro Road.
In a separate but related crackdown, the Eagle Net Surveillance Team in Ughelli apprehended 53-year-old Benjamin Benemor at his home in Warri South. Police seized an arsenal of weapons including an English Beretta pistol, multiple double and single barrel guns, a battle axe, and live ammunition.
Moreover, on May 15, the Rapid Response Squad stopped a vehicle on the Asaba-Benin Expressway and found a fabricated Beretta pistol on one of the occupants, Okpako Oghenhovo.
Commissioner of Police, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda, lauded the officers, saying, “These achievements demonstrate the command’s readiness to confront all forms of criminality and the readiness to act decisively against those who threaten the peace and security of the state.” He appealed to the public to stay alert and report suspicious activities.
