Crime

JTF bust local arms manufacturer

Published

9 years ago

July 3, 2017

By OKOSUN DENNIS

Troops of Joint Task Force, Operation Delta Safe (OPDS) have clamped down on identified local arms manufacturing hideout in Arhavwarien Kingdom of Ughelli South in Delta State.

The Commander OPDS, Rear Admiral Apochi Suleiman who paraded the suspects in Yenagoa on Monday said they were arrested after a ferocious shootout with the suspects.

The Commander, who was represented by the Commander Sector One, Colonel Moses Gara, revealed that during the operation, three principal suspects were apprehended.

Identifying the suspects as Mr Isiyaka Uchuko, Mr Ese James and Mr Elvis Phillips, also disclosed items recovered from them to include; 13 short barrel local made guns, five Double barrel local made guns, 10 x local made pistols, 3 x live cartridges, one empty cartridge and 2 x Rounds of 7.62 millimeter special ammunition.

In another development, National Daily gathered that following a tip off, troops arrested one Mr Mathew Okafor, 50 years in connection with the buying and selling of an International oil company wellhead popularly known as “Xmas Tree” and other wellhead

accessories.

He added that, troops also arrested a wanted oil bunkering kingpin, Mr Nkwe Godspower, 42 years with the following items 10 cheque booklets belonging to different banks, an international passport, 5 x different Identity Cards and a sum of N1,000,100 only recovered during his arrest.

The Media Coordinator, Operation Delta Safe (OPDS), Major Abubakar Abdullahi told National Daily that the suspects are in their custody undergoing preliminary investigation.

Admiral Suleiman, however, commended the public for their support to the troops in their effort to achieve OPDS mandate appealing for timely information to get rid of criminals from the region.