Delta State Police Command Clarifies AK-47 Recovery, Says Ownership And Possession Of Rifle Remain Under Investigation.
The Delta State Police Command has said it successfully averted a potential clash between supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) during a political rally in Uvwie Local Government Area of the state.
The Command, in a statement issued on Tuesday by its Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, said it had received intelligence on September 15, 2026, about the planned rally and the likelihood of a confrontation between supporters of the two parties.
According to the police, both groups later notified the Command of their planned activities less than 10 hours before the scheduled September 18 rally at Angle Park, Warri. They were subsequently advised not to use the location as their point of convergence.
The Command said the Commissioner of Police, CP Samuel Etaifo Erale, ordered the deployment of policemen to the proposed venue from about 5:00 a.m. on the day of the rally to prevent any breakdown of law and order.
It added that as tension heightened during the rally, additional patrol teams were deployed under “Operation Show of Force”, which helped bring the situation under control.
The police, however, said that at about 11:30 a.m., its patrol teams observed a group of irate youths mobbing a man identified as Collins Egbara near an old building at Orumarho community, Effurun.
The command further revealed that officers rescued Egbara from the mob after he was beaten severely and rushed him to hospital for treatment.
A search of the premises where he was rescued, according to the police, led to the discovery of an AK-47 rifle.
The Command stressed that it had not established Egbara's political affiliation, noting that he had been unable to give a statement due to his condition.
It also dismissed reports that the rifle was handed over to the police by some individuals, saying the ownership, possession and circumstances surrounding its recovery remain subjects of an ongoing investigation.
The police said Egbara is currently under protective custody while receiving treatment and that his statement would be obtained when he becomes stable.
It added that if investigations establish his connection with the firearm, he would be charged to court.
The Commissioner of Police assured the public that the investigation would not be compromised and urged the media to verify information through appropriate channels before publication.
CP Erale also called on political parties and campaign organisers to notify the police well ahead of rallies to enable adequate security arrangements and prevent a breakdown of law and order.
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