The Nigeria Police Force in Delta State has apprehended four individuals believed to be members of a gun-running syndicate, following the recovery of a Beretta pistol in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area. This development is linked to the controversial fatal shooting of a suspected gun runner, Oghenemine (Mene) Ogidi, by a police officer.
Police Commissioner Briefs Press
Commissioner of Police in Delta State, Yemi Oyeniyi, disclosed the arrests during a press briefing at the state police headquarters in Asaba on Monday. He stated that the arrests resulted from weeks of intelligence-driven investigations across Bayelsa and Imo states after operatives recovered the firearm at a transport park in Effurun on May 1.
Mr Oyeniyi also confirmed that the dismissed former Assistant Superintendent of Police, Nuhu Usman, who was captured in a viral video shooting Mr Ogidi, along with other accomplices, have been returned to Delta State to face prosecution. The case file has been forwarded to the office of the Delta State Attorney-General for legal action.
Details of Arrests
The first suspect, Emmanuel Chukwuemeka, was arrested in Bayelsa on May 4. Investigators discovered that Mr Chukwuemeka used his roommate's phone to purchase the Beretta pistol before reselling it. He confessed to buying the firearm for N290,000 and selling it for N380,000 to one Desmond, who is currently at large.
Further investigations led operatives to Imo State, where another suspect, Amadi Princewill, was arrested on May 15. During interrogation, Mr Princewill revealed that he obtained the pistol from Amadi Felix Chibuike for N200,000. Based on this information, police tracked and arrested Mr Chibuike in Owerri on May 16.
Syndicate Identified
Mr Oyeniyi identified the suspects as members of the Black Axe confraternity. They will be charged in court upon the conclusion of investigations. Efforts are ongoing to arrest other members of the syndicate, including the fugitive suspect, Desmond.
Background of the Incident
The arrests come weeks after public outrage over the killing of Mr Ogidi, who was shot by Mr Usman shortly after his arrest. A widely circulated video showed the police officer shooting the suspect at close range, triggering calls for accountability and a thorough investigation. The police subsequently dismissed Mr Usman from service and initiated criminal proceedings against him and other officers implicated in the incident.
