Law enforcement officers from the Delta State Police Command thwarted a cult initiation ceremony in Oghara community and its surroundings in Ethiope West Local Government Area of the state. The police also apprehended a well-known cultist, Godfrey Tietie aka “Don Baby,” who had been causing terror in the region.
Speaking on Monday, August 28, 2023, the command’s spokesperson, DSP Bright Edafe, revealed that the police team detained the notorious cultist at Ogorode road in Sapele and seized an AK-47 rifle and a locally made fabricated revolver pistol from him.
“On 20/8/2023, operatives of the Command De-coy squad, acting on credible intelligence on the activities of one Godfrey Tietie, a notorious cultist who has been terrorizing Oghara and environs, carried out a covert operation and arrested the said Godfrey Tietie aka ‘Don Baby’ of Oghara Town in Ethiope West LGA, Delta State,” the statement read.
“The 40-year-old male suspect was apprehended at Ogorode Road by Texaco in Sapele and a locally made revolver pistol was recovered from him. Investigation revealed that the suspect is a member of Aiye confraternity and is also suspected to be a gun runner who supplies guns to cultists in Sapele, Oghara, and environs. Investigation is ongoing.”
“On 26/8/2023, at about 0600hours, a police patrol team attached to ‘C’ division Asaba, in a combined effort with vigilantes, while on patrol around the second Niger bridge, sighted a young man carrying a sack bag. The suspect, upon noticing the police, took to flight leaving behind the sack bag. When the bag was searched, one AK-47 rifle was recovered, and efforts to arrest the fleeing suspect are ongoing.”
The PPRO said police operatives disrupted a cult initiation at a criminal hideout in Ogwashi-Uku and found one locally made pistol and four live ammunition rounds.
“On 24/8/2023, at about 0245 hours, operatives of the Command’s Raiders squad, led by DSP Akanya Agboga, raided a criminal hideout along Isa-Ogwashi-Uku Aniocha South LGA, where some suspected cultists were holding their initiation ceremony. The suspects fled upon seeing the police and escaped in different directions. Upon searching the premises, one locally fabricated Berretta pistol, and four rounds of live ammunition were recovered,” he stated.
“On Wednesday, August 16th, 2023, at about 1600hrs, based on credible intelligence gathered over the activities of some criminal elements operating within Warri, Udu, Koko, and proximate environs, the DPO Ekpan Division, CSP Aliyu Shaba, led the Surveillance Team and trailed the hoodlums to their hideout located at Aladja Grammar School in Aladja Town Udu Local Government
“However, upon sighting the police, the hoodlums fled taking a sack bag with them
“Upon searching the sack bag, the following items were found: one AK47 Rifle, one magazine loaded with seven (7) rounds of 7.62mm Ammunitions, one English pump action gun with three (3) live cartridges, and two cut-to-size Double Barrel Gun. Efforts are on to identify and arrest the said hoodlums,”
“Similarly, on the 20th of August, 2023, at approximately 1509hrs, the DPO Ekpan received a phone call from one Alhaji (name withheld) of Warri Sapele Road, reporting the suspicious presence of individuals within the yard. The civilian security/operatives in the yard noticed the suspicious individuals and immediately gave chase, causing the suspects to flee and abandon a sack
“”In the sack, two locally made single barrel guns and 18 live cartridges were found. The DPO dispatched officers to the scene to recover the firearms and ammunition. Efforts are ongoing to trace and identify the fleeing perpetrators,”
“The Commissioner of Police, Delta State, CP Wale Abass PSC, urges the public, particularly parents and guardians, to keep a close eye on their wards and discourage them from engaging in cultism and other vices
“Crime does not pay, and the command is committed to ensuring that it does not thrive in the state. The CP also appeals to the public to provide the police with any useful, timely, and credible information that will help eradicate crime in the state.”
