Delta CP Orders Re-Arrest Of Fleeing Suspects

Commissioner of Police in Delta State, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda, has or­dered the immediate re-arrest of two suspects, Ovakporaye Jobome (aka Rogers) and Debi, who reportedly escaped from police custody.

The police commis­sioner has also sum­moned the Divisional Police Officer of the Ovwian/Aladja Police Division, CSP Bulus Musa, along with his team, to explain the cir­cumstances surround­ing the incident.

It was gathered that the escape followed a petition by the Aladja Community in Udu Lo­cal Government Area to the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbe­tokun. The petition called for a thorough investiga­tion and decisive action against the DPO and his officers over the escape of the notorious crimi­nals.

A senior officer at the Delta State Police Com­mand, speaking on con­dition of anonymity, con­firmed the development.

“The CP has summoned the DPO and the officers on duty for investigation,” the source disclosed. “He has also ordered the im­mediate re-arrest of the escaped suspects and is determined to hold all responsible accountable.”

The two suspects, along with two others, Kelvin Dukuye and Philip Faka, were apprehended on December 31, 2024, by the Aladja Security after heightened crimi­nal activity in the area. They were handed over to the Ovwian/Aladja Police Station, along with recovered ammunition, through the efforts of Hon. Andrew Ekwetafia Gbise JP, Secretary of Udu Local Government Area.

Confessional state­ments by the suspects were reportedly record­ed in both video and au­dio formats. However, officers at the Ovwian/ Aladja Police Station in­formed the Aladja com­munity that Jobome and Debi had escaped from custody. This revelation triggered outrage, with the community accusing the police of negligence and possible foul play.

The Aladja community council expressed deep concern over the escape, emphasising that the fu­gitives were among the most dangerous crimi­nals in the area. They demanded the immediate re-arrest of the suspects and accountability from the police officers.

In its petition, the com­munity called for urgent intervention by the In­spector-General of Police and the Delta State Com­missioner of Police to restore public confidence in the police. The com­munity also stressed the importance of addressing security challenges in Aladja and surrounding areas. The community warned that the incident has heightened concerns about the effectiveness of the police in combat­ing crime and ensuring public safety. It urged the police authorities to act swiftly to prevent further deterioration of security in the area.