DIG Jitoboh, who doubles as the Theater Commander, Operation Restore Peace on Thursday June 3rd told men and officers of the Nigerian Police Force, Delta State Command that “Never again”, should you fold your hands and allow miscreants to come and attack you”.
The Deputy Inspector General of Police, Department of Research and Planning, disclosed that the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, has directed all Deputy Inspectors of Police ( DIG’S) of the various geopolitical zones to go round their zones and boost the morale of the men, pointing out that he was at the Command to carry out the order.
But barely three days after the “Never Again” was echoed, the “miscreants” used Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), to shatter Ashaka police station and razed a patrol vehicle in Ndokwa east local government area of Delta State.
Trouble started in the wee hours of Sunday June 6th 2021, when the hoodlums numbering about 20 stormed the station about 1:00am and unleashed mayhem on the building.
The hooligans, who arrived at the station, shot sporadically into the air to scare officers on duty and unsuspected residents around the station who may be awake before carrying out the dastardly act.
The station and the burnt vehicle, it was learnt were made possible with the help of the Community and the Delta State Oil Producing Development Commission (DESOPADEC) to give security to the people and the environ.
Although, the Ag. Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) DSP Edafe Bright, hinted that no life was lost and no arm was taken away, assured residents that the police would not relent in ensuring that law and order is maintained in any community.
In a press release confirming the attack, the image maker said: “Unprovoked attacks on the police will not deter the police from providing the needed security in any community in Delta state”, pointing out that the attack was aimed at ensuring that police presence was not felt in the community.
“The hoodlums who perpetrated this dastardly act will certainly not go free, as serious efforts are on to arrest them and bring them to book”, he stated.
It would be recall that DSP Bright, on Saturday June 5th 2021, noted: “The slogan “NEVER AGAIN” was echoed by all officers and was indeed a big morale booster to the confidence of the men, which signals and end to the killings of police officers and burning down of police facilities and public properties”.
Meanwhile, on 5th June 2021, acting on a tip off the State Commissioner of police, Mr. Ari Mohammed Ali, deployed a joint tactical teams of the Command who stormed the hideout of suspected armed robbers and kidnappers who engaged the hoodlums in a serious gun duel.
According to the PPRO, “the joint team killed six of them, while others fled with gun shot injuries into the bush. One Ak 47 rifle, one pump action gun, one AK 47 magazine with 25 live ammunition were recovered”.
In the same vein, “the men of the Command while on stop and search duty along Patani-Bayelsa road on 5th June 2021, intercepted a Sienna bus with Reg. No. LSR 813 XL with four occupants, on sighting the police, they quickly tried to maneuver in a bid to escape.
“The police went after them, on searching the vehicle, one locally made Barretta Pistol was recovered, and four suspects namely, Efe Oyenikoro, Felix George, Emmanuel Job, Joan Yapiteghe, were arrested”.
He stressed that the Command under the watch of CP Ali would not relent, as the CP has given marching order to all tactical Commanders, Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) and men of the Command to be on their toes.
He disclosed that they are to gather intelligence and take the battle to the den of criminals, urging members of the public to volunteer useful information that would assist the police in discharging its duties.
