Six alleged armed robbers and kidnappers have been detained by the Delta Police Command in the hamlet of Ekpan in the state's Uvwie Local Government Area.
DSP Bright Edafe, the command's spokesman, revealed this to reporters on Saturday in Warri.
According to Edafe, the criminals were apprehended on Thursday in the Uvwie council area by police officers from the Ekpan Police Division.
According to him, the suspects were being transported by a Toyota Sienna space bus without a licence plate when the operatives on patrol duty apprehended it on Jakpa Road.
“The policemen, on suspicion, subjected them to a search during which three pump action guns, four locally-made guns, one long axe, seven expended cartridges, nine live cartridges, native charms, three cutlasses and two plate numbers were recovered,” he said.
Edafe said that the suspects could not give a reasonable account of themselves, adding that they were later taken into police custody for further interrogation.
The police spokesman said that the investigation later revealed that the suspects were hoodlums operating under the guise of being members of a hunters group from Ovwian Aladja in the Udu Local Government Area of the state.
“They sneaked into the Ekpan community in a Sienna vehicle, robbed and kidnapped unsuspecting victims and ran to hibernate in Ovwian Aladja.
“Following these findings on Friday, the DPO invited three victims, all of whom were victims of armed robbery and kidnappings in the area at various times.
“The suspects were placed on an identification parade, while the victims identified them as the syndicate that robbed and kidnapped them,” he said.
Edafe said that investigation on the matter was ongoing.