The Delta State Police Command has clarified the circumstances surrounding the recovery of an AK-47 rifle following tension between supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area. Police said officers rescued a man, identified as Collins Egbara, from a mob and subsequently recovered the rifle during a search of an old building nearby. 

According to Police Public Relations Officer SP Bright Edafe, officers on patrol around 11:30 a.m. on September 18noticed youths beating Egbara near the building in Orumarho community. The officers rescued him and took him to hospital, while a search of the premises reportedly led to the discovery of the AK-47. Police said Egbara was still receiving treatment and would be questioned when his condition allowed, after which investigators would determine whether he had any connection to the weapon.

However, an NDC supporter, Comrade Umukoro Efemena, gave a different account. He claimed that youths had disarmed Egbara, whom they accused of being a political thug, and subsequently handed both the man and the rifle to the police. Efemena disputed the police account that the weapon was discovered during a building search. The police have rejected this version, saying reports that the gun was handed over by individuals at the scene were false and that its ownership and recovery remain subject to investigation.

The disagreement followed heightened tensions around a planned political rally involving APC and NDC supporters. Police said they had received intelligence about the possibility of a clash and deployed additional patrol teams to prevent violence. The command said the investigation into the rifle and Egbara’s possible connection to it would continue, while urging political groups to notify security agencies early about rallies so adequate security arrangements can be made.