The Anambra Police Command on Monday paraded a nine-man gang that had terrorized the Nanka community in Orumba North Local Government Area of the state for years.
The gang led by one Ifedilichukwu Nwankwo allegedly chopped off the ear of a Divisional Police Officer of Ajali Division(name withheld) who was at Nanka to effect arrest.
Parading the suspects at the State Anti-Robbery Squad office at Awkuzu, Oyi Local Government Area, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Ali Okechukwu said the Nanka community had been liberated by the arrest of the gang.
His words: “On 17/02/2014 at about 9am hours, one Okechukwu Udezuka of Oraifite and Ebuka surname unknown were shot dead at Tarzan, Nkpor by a gang of armed robbers.
“In the course of investigation, one Emamanuel Nwabudu, Chigozie, Nweke a.k.a Achito were arrested.
“The suspects named one Ifedilichukwu Nwankwo of Nanka and others as those that attacked and killed Okechukwu Udezuka and Ebuka.
“Every attempt to arrest Ifedidilichukwu and his gang members proved abortive.
Okechukwu further said that on June 27,2016, Ifedilichukwu Nwankwo, Chidi Nwankwo and Udoye Kenechukwu were arrested following a raid of Nanka community.
The PPRO maintained that “Before now, the gang led by Ifedilichukwu Nwankwo had severally prevented the police from Force CID Abuja, Zonal Headquarters Umuahia, from making any arrest at Nanka.
He alleged that the gang burnt down a police Hilux Jeep during an arrest in the community, adding that a team led by the DPO Ajali Division, On June 20,2016, was ambushed at Nanka by the gang when they (police) went to effect arrest.
“The DPO Ajali was robbed of his handset and some undisclosed sum of money. He was stripped naked and one of his ears chopped off. Equally his official uniform was torn to shreds, he added.
According to the PPRO, the DPO who narrowly escaped death is currently receiving treatment in an undisclosed hospital.
“Hitherto, several cases of armed robbery/kidnapping, rape and assassination were trailed to Nanka, the reason police detectives made several but unsuccessful attempts to arrest the kingpins,” the police spokesperson noted.