By Fresh Facts Magazine Staff Writer
Ughelli, once regarded as one of Delta State’s toughest crime flashpoints, is beginning to breathe a sigh of relief. In the last two weeks of August, the Delta State Police Command carried out sweeping operations that led to the arrest of notorious armed robbery gangs, drug dealers, and the recovery of stolen vehicles worth millions of naira.
But beyond the statistics and exhibits displayed by the police, the stories of victims and the reactions of residents highlight the real weight of the breakthrough.
“They stormed into my house like demons”
For Nathaniel Ugbebe, a resident of Sapele, August 17th was a nightmare. In the dead of night, armed men broke into his home. “They stormed into my house like demons,” he recalled, his voice heavy with emotion. “They took everything—phones, laptops, even our wedding rings. Then they forced me to transfer nearly ₦2 million through my POS machine before driving off with my Lexus Jeep.”
Just days later, police operatives tracked down his stolen white Lexus RX350 and another black Mercedes-Benz GLK350. Both cars were being prepared for sale at just ₦2 million each, a fraction of their worth. For Nathaniel, the recovery is more than just material. “I thought I’d never see that car again. It was a piece of my family’s life. I am grateful the police didn’t give up.”
Young thieves, big syndicates
Investigations into the Ughelli armed robbery syndicate read like the script of a crime thriller. It began with a routine report from a man robbed of his phones, laptop, and a 65-inch television. Police trailed a suspect, Faith Perry, who admitted her boyfriend, Kelly Otobure, had given her one of the stolen phones. That simple lead unraveled an entire network.
Inside Otobure’s house, police recovered the stolen television, a PlayStation 4, and other items. His confession pointed to the gang leader, Samson Ugbe a.k.a. Big Man—a name that has terrorized Ughelli residents for years.
Community members say his arrest brings a sense of relief. “For long, Big Man and his boys have made us live in fear. Now we can finally hope for peace,” said Mrs. Oghenevo, a shop owner in Agbarho.
A community drowning in drugs
The police clampdown also extended to the drug underworld. On August 29, operatives stormed Afisere community and arrested Egbule Isioma (52), a well-known chemist owner accused of fueling youth addiction in Ughelli.
Inside her home, officers found a staggering haul: 355 bottles of codeine, hundreds of rolls of tramadol, cannabis, and other substances.
Parents in the community welcomed the raid. “Our children are losing their future to these drugs,” lamented Mr. Johnson, a father of three teenagers in Ughelli. “This arrest is a big relief, but we need consistency. If the police stop now, another Isioma will rise tomorrow.”
Motorcycles, guns, and everyday terror
Not all robberies in Ughelli involve cars and mansions. For some, it’s about the struggle to keep their only source of livelihood. On August 25, police arrested three men accused of snatching motorcycles at gunpoint in Udu.
The suspects—Henry Bernard (35), Justice Ayero (39), and Oho Ogbavwomera—were said to have robbed a rider of his lady’s motorcycle. A subsequent raid led police to recover a gun, dagger, hacksaws, and other robbery tools.
“That bike was my only way of feeding my family,” said the victim, who asked not to be named. “I thank God it didn’t cost me my life.”
The bigger picture
Police spokesperson SP Edafe Bright says these arrests show a turning tide. “The breakthroughs recorded in Ughelli Area Command are clear signals that criminal elements have no hiding place in Delta State,” he told journalists. “We urge residents to keep sharing credible information with the police.”
Still, community leaders insist that beyond police raids, deeper social issues must be addressed. Youth unemployment, drug abuse, and poverty continue to create fertile ground for crime.
Chief Ejiro Otobo, a traditional leader in Ughelli, put it bluntly: “Crime is like a weed. You can cut it down, but unless you deal with the roots—poverty and joblessness—it will grow back.”
A new sense of safety—at least for now
For residents of Ughelli, the past two weeks have been a reminder that policing, when proactive, can make communities feel safe again. Shops that used to close at sunset are staying open longer. Young people, once too scared to gather at night, are beginning to reclaim street corners.
