By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola
The Delta State Police Command has arrested two suspected drug dealers, Hillary Osondu and Abubakar Bello, both aged 54, and recovered 132 sachets of 100mg Tramadol during a stop-and-search operation in Asaba.
The arrests were made on Thursday, 13 August, 2026, along Nnebisi Road, Asaba, when personnel of the police patrol team attached to Operation Delta Shield intercepted a Toyota Hiace bus with registration number ZBL-549-XA and subjected it to a search.
The Police Public Relations Officer for the command, Bright Edafe, disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists in Warri on Friday, 14 August, 2026.
According to Edafe, the search of the vehicle led to the recovery of the 132 sachets of Tramadol and the arrest of the two suspects.
He said the suspects had been taken into custody while investigation continued to establish the source of the drugs and determine the extent of their alleged involvement in the offence.
In a related development, the command recovered a stolen vehicle barely two hours after receiving a report of the incident in Warri.
The police said the vehicle, an ash-coloured 2003 Toyota Corolla with registration number WW-579MD, was stolen from where it was parked at Awani Close, Ajamugha, Warri.
Following the report received by operatives of ‘A’ Division, Warri, on August 13, detectives of the division immediately commenced a coordinated operation with the Dragon Patrol Team.
The operation subsequently led to the recovery of the vehicle along Winners Church Road, Ughelli, within two hours of the report.
Edafe said efforts were ongoing to identify and apprehend the suspects linked to the theft.
Meanwhile, the state Commissioner of Police, Yemi Oyeniyi, commended the operatives for their prompt response in both incidents and directed officers across the command to sustain the momentum through proactive and intelligence-led policing.
Oyeniyi also urged residents to remain vigilant and promptly provide the police with credible information on suspicious persons and activities.
The Commissioner assured residents that the command would continue to deploy available resources towards preventing and detecting crime across Delta State.
