Soldiers recover weapons from cripple, pregnant woman in Delta

                                                      
A cripple, Friday Gbangbara  and a pregnant woman, Loveth Odigbo, were on Friday, September 11, busted by soldiers attached to the 19th battalion of Nigerian Army, Koko, Delta State, as firearms and ammunitions were recovered from them during a search for suspected kidnappers and pirates at the Yokugbene community in Warri North Local Government Area.

It was gathered that the soldiers had been on the trail of the pirates who had fled into the community and in a house to house search in a bid to flush out the criminals, the physically challenged man and the pregnant woman were found in possession of the dangerous weapons.

But the Ijaw People Development Initiative has dismissed insinuations that Odigbo and Gbangbara, were not criminal.

But the spokeman of the 4th Brigade, Benin, Edo state, Captain Jonah Unuakhalu, has insisted that that the arrested suspects were part of the fleeing pirates and would be treated as such until investigations prove otherwise.

“At about 11:30am on 28 August, 2015, following reports of repeated attacks by suspected kidnappers/sea pirates along Benin River in Warri North local government area of Delta State, troops of 19 Battalion   raided a criminal hideout at Yokugbene community along the river.

On sighting the troops, suspects numbering about 15 (some sighted with arms), fled into the swamp. A follow up with shots and movement by troops led to the discovery of 1 AK 47 Rifle, 3 AK47 magazines, 86, 7.62mm ammunition, 1 Russian made double barrel gun and qty 6 x 70mm carts.

Other items recovered include, 18 GSM phones, one motorola hand held walkie talkie, an amnesty certificate with registration number   C02/B13/A2/17167 belonging to one William Molly, 2 voters card belonging to Molly William and Gbagbanra Ogunwa, 1 First bank ATM card, 11 pieces of camo trouser and one camo short nikker.

Meanwhile, 2 suspects; Mrs Loveth Odigbo and Mr Ebire Oko were arrested. The female suspect however, sustained a gunshot wound on the right hand and was treated at General Hospital, Koko,” Unuakhalu said.