A combined team of security men from the Army, Navy, Airforce, Police and the Department of State Service (DSS), on Friday morning stormed Ekpan and neighbouring communities in Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State, apprehending 35 suspected criminals in the process.

Ekpan is a notorious and volatile Warri suburb believed to be harbouring criminals of different shades.

The joint operation code-named “Operation Yankari”, was launched to raid the communities in order to mop up illegal arms and ammunitions.

Parading the 35 suspects on Friday at the 3 Battalion, Nigerian Army, Effurun, Brigadier-General Farouk Yahaya, Commander 4 Brigade, said the security agencies were determined to rid Delta State of illicit arms, adding that a G3 rifle, one pistol and 20 rounds of ammunitions were also recovered.

Yahaya, who described the exercise as successful, said those arrested would be investigated, while the operation would be a continuous one.

Also speaking at the parade, the Delta State Commissioner of Police (CP), Baba Alkali Usman, said the exercise was carried out because of the numerous complaints about criminal activities around Ekpan, Eburumede, Ogbomro and some other communities in Uvwie.

According to him, “A total of 35 suspects were arrested and during our preliminary screening, three persons were identified and have been released.

“The remaining 32 suspects will be subjected to further investigations.

“We also recovered a G3 riffle loaded with 20 rounds of ammunitions and other incriminating items including suspected ballot papers.

“We also had an incident where a tryclist was flagged down by security men for a search.

“Instead of stopping, in a effort to escape, ran into a truck and the two occupants had accidents and were later confirmed dead.”

Alkali added that the operation would be extended to neighbouring places like Warri as soon as the security agents are armed with intelligence information.

Meanwhile, during the parade of the suspects, a drama played out when a trader, Mrs. Edoke Ekaevwie, identified one of the suspects as a member of a gang of three who recently invaded her shop and dispossessed her of N250,000 and other items.

Meanwhile, some residents of Ekpan, who craved anonymity, accused the security operatives of a shoddy job during the mop up exercise.

One of them said: “Arms mop up was long overdue in the entire Uvwie, but the army and police made a mess of it. They did not put their acts together. Some of their men probably leaked the operation and the invasion also had a tone of discrimination.

“Uvwie is full of illegal arms and criminals, many known to the police. To claim recovery of only two guns in Ekpan where there are arms everywhere is a mockery of the exercise.

“Most of those arrested may well be innocent. The real gunrunners and criminals disappeared before they came.”

•Adapted from a Saturday Tribune report.