The Edo State Police Command has arrested a passenger allegedly found in possession of 36 live cartridges during a stop-and-search operation along the Benin–Auchi Road in Benin City.
The suspect, identified as Richard Gabriel, was apprehended after attempting to flee from a commercial minibus intercepted by police operatives at Guobadia Junction in the Ikpoba Hill area of the Edo State capital.
Confirming the development on Thursday, the command’s spokesperson, Ino Ikoedem, said officers attached to the Ikpoba Hill Area Command intercepted the vehicle during routine security checks.
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According to her, the minibus was conveying seven passengers from the Benin–Auchi bypass axis to Ring Road when some occupants suddenly abandoned their belongings and attempted to escape after sighting the police team.
“On 23rd May, 2026, at about 1300hrs, officers attached to Ikpoba Hill Area Command, while on stop-and-search duty at Guobadia Junction along the Benin–Auchi Road, intercepted a minibus conveying seven passengers from Benin–Auchi Bypass to Ring Road, Benin City,” Ikoedem stated.
“During the operation, three male passengers suddenly abandoned their belongings and attempted to flee the scene.”
The police spokesperson said operatives immediately pursued the fleeing suspects and succeeded in arresting one of them.
“The officers swiftly gave chase and successfully apprehended one of the fleeing suspects, identified as Richard Gabriel, 36 years old, from Ovia South-West Local Government Area of Edo State,” she added.
According to the command, a subsequent search conducted on the suspect’s bag led to the recovery of 36 rounds of live cartridges allegedly concealed inside his belongings.
The police did not immediately disclose the suspect’s intended destination or whether the ammunition was linked to any criminal network currently under investigation.
The Commissioner of Police in Edo State, Monday Agbonika, commended the officers involved in the operation and reassured residents of the command’s commitment to fighting crime across the state.
The latest arrest comes days after the command confirmed the arrest of two suspected cultists in Ohonre community, where operatives reportedly recovered a firearm after disrupting an alleged gathering.
Authorities say investigations into the recovered cartridges and the suspect’s possible connections are ongoing.
