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The Delta State Police Command has intensified its crackdown on criminal activities within the transport sector, warning transport operators against aiding kidnappers, arms traffickers and drug dealers through lax passenger monitoring and illegal roadside loading practices.

Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Yemi Oyeniyi, issued the warning on Monday during a strategic security meeting with transport stakeholders across Delta State, aimed at strengthening intelligence gathering and tightening security within motor parks and transport routes.

The meeting, held in compliance with the directive of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, brought together representatives of local government councils, the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), Commercial Tricycle and Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association (COMTOA), tipper operators, transport company owners and other key stakeholders.

Addressing the gathering, CP Oyeniyi commended transport unions for their support to the Police Command, stressing that recent operational breakthroughs recorded by the police were made possible through intelligence sharing and aggressive stop-and-search operations across the state.

The police boss disclosed that Area Commanders and Divisional Police Officers had also been directed to sustain regular engagements with transport operators in their various jurisdictions to deepen collaboration against criminal activities.

He raised concern over the increasing use of transport networks by criminal elements to move arms, illicit drugs and even ransom payments connected to kidnapping operations.

According to him, transport operators must remain vigilant and refuse to allow parks and vehicles to become safe channels for criminal activities.

The CP stressed the need for properly organised parks and comprehensive passenger documentation, including accurate manifests containing passengers’ phone numbers and addresses, insisting that such measures would significantly strengthen security operations and aid crime detection.

He also issued a stern warning against the activities of touts and persons with questionable backgrounds operating within motor parks, while condemning the practice of picking passengers along highways and unauthorised roadside locations.

According to him, roadside loading exposes commuters to attacks by criminals and undermines effective security monitoring by law enforcement agencies.

CP Oyeniyi further appealed to transport stakeholders to volunteer credible intelligence to the police and ensure that illicit drug activities and other criminal practices were not tolerated within parks and loading points.

Speaking during the engagement, Delta State Chairman of the NURTW, Chief Francis Arhiyor, identified resistance by passengers to parcel searches and refusal to provide accurate personal details as major security challenges confronting transport operators.

He called for aggressive public sensitisation campaigns through radio, television and social media platforms to educate commuters on the importance of passenger identification and security checks.

Also speaking, Comrade Nnamdi Odiwe, representing the Oshimili South Local Government Chairman, warned against the growing menace of illegal roadside parks, urging stronger collaboration between government authorities and security agencies to monitor and shut down unauthorised loading points.

In his closing remarks, the Commissioner of Police assured stakeholders that the engagement would be sustained as part of broader efforts to reduce crime across Delta State.

He reaffirmed the command’s commitment to increased visibility policing on roads and waterways, while thanking transport operators and stakeholders for their cooperation and commitment toward improving security in the state.