By Wealth Oghenemaro
Operatives of the Delta State Police Command have arrested a native doctor, Okonji Chimeze, after recovering two pump-action guns and a cutlass hidden in the ceiling of his home in Umuehe Quarter, Ibusa.
According to a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, Tuesday, the arrest took place in the early hours of June 14, 2025, during a raid carried out by the Special Anti-Kidnapping and Cybercrime Squad. The operation followed credible intelligence linking the 47-year-old traditional healer to possible criminal activities.
“A search warrant was executed at the premises, and during the search, officers found two automatic pump-action guns and a cutlass concealed in the ceiling of the suspect’s room,” Edafe said. The suspect is currently in custody, and investigations are ongoing to determine the origin of the weapons and any wider connections.
Meanwhile, in a separate incident, two men suspected to be cultists were intercepted by Eagle-Net Surveillance operatives along Otokutu Bridge in Warri on June 18, 2025.
The suspects, Telvin Richmond, 27, and Frank Obiorah, 26, were stopped during a routine vehicle check. They were driving a black Toyota Corolla with registration number RSH 90 RC. Upon searching the car, police recovered a locally made cut-to-size gun, a wooden pistol, a battle axe, and two yellow hand-bands bearing “NBM” — an acronym for the Neo Black Movement, a known cult group.
The police preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects are believed to be members of the Aiye confraternity. Richmond reportedly admitted to purchasing the firearm in 2024 for N87,000 from a now-at-large associate.
Both cases are under investigation, and the police have reiterated their commitment to clamping down on cultism, illegal arms possession, and other criminal acts across the state.
Members of the public are encouraged to remain security-conscious and report any suspicious activity to the police. The Command also released emergency contact lines: 08036684974, 08114895600, and 08025666914.
