The Police in Delta state on Tuesday paraded a suspected militant on a jailbreak mission to Ogwashi medium prisons, apprehended by an 18 years old Fulani herdsman, Sani Ibrahim of Fulani Camp Ogwashi-Uku.
The suspect, Sekemia Fullpower of Yakoromor town, Burutu, Delta state, told journalists he was on a mission to set free members of his gang who were arrested by federal troops at Ayakoromor, Burutu Local Government Area of Delta state.
Parading the militant suspect along with 14 other suspects at the Delta State Police Command headquarters in Asaba, the new Commissioner of Police, Muhammad Alhaji Mustafa said the fulani complainant sighted the suspect around Fulani Camp, Ogwashi-Uku, near the prisons yard, in a suspicious manner.
According to the CP, Ibrahim held the suspect and raised an alarm attracting other members of the camp, who arrested Sekemia Fullpower with a polythene bag containing some cans of chemicals suspected to be improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
The suspect confessed to journalists during interview that he manufactured the IEDs found with him and was on a mission to free his gang members who were in prison custody at Ogwashi-Uku medium prisons.
Earlier in his first media interaction, CP Mustafa thanked the state government and Deltans for their continuous support, assuring of his readiness to work in synergy with other security agencies, ths media, well-meaning individuals and organisations in the state.
My leadership of the Command will do everything humanly possible towards ensuring adequate security of life and properties of the citizens. To this end, our officers and men have been directed never to rest on their oars in securing their areas of responsibilities.
"My administration will encourage mutual respect between the police and the public. It will neither condone any act of corruption and impunity on the part of our personnel, nor lawlessness nor disregard for constituted authority on the part of the citizenry.
"We must all collaborate in the fight against the common enemies of the society – criminals of all descriptions – kidnappers, armed robbers, cultists and criminal herdsmen etc.
"I implore you to continue to cooperate with us, since you are also critical stakeholders in the security project. Permit me however, to counsel that your reportage of events should at all times be guided by the principles of objectivity and fairness. You should always consider the security implications of every report before publication", the CP admonished.
He identified cultism as worrisome menace in the state and urged ‘Anti-Cult Volunteers’ in various parts of the state, while inaugurating the “Delta State Anti-Cult Committee” to interact with the youths in institutions of learning and the communities in order to educate them on the dangers of cultism and the need to shun cultism and other vices.
He said the committee is similar to the Farmers/Herdsmen Committee already put in place by his predecessor, while appealing to all and sundry to cooperate with these committees towards achieving the laudable objectives of setting them up.