Personnel of the Police in Anambra State have arrested four armed robbers at different locations with dangerous weapons and other exhibits.
Items recovered from them include one locally-made pistol, two lives cartridges, and three plasma television sets. Other items recovered include one beretta pistol, three motorcycles, an axe, three machetes, one police belt, one Sumec generator, thirteen different brands of phones and other incriminating items.
A statement issued by the spokesman of the police command, DSP Ikenga Tochukwu on Sunday read,
“The police operatives attached to Oko divisional headquarters acting on credible information in the early hours of 6/9/2022 burst a criminal hideout, in an uncompleted building along Oko Ufuma expressway in Orumba North LGA. The police arrested one Okechukwu Okpo ‘M’ age 24 years from Ndobasi village, Ebonyi State. The police officers also recovered a locally fabricated pistol, two live cartridges and three plasma television.”
According to the police spokesman, the criminal gang on sighting the security operative’s vehicle opened fire on them but the police personnel responded swiftly and engaged the armed robbers in a gun battle. Some other gang members fled the scene and in the process, Okechukwu was arrested.
Tochukwu said preliminary investigations revealed that the gang members were responsible for over twenty-five armed robbery, kidnapping, and car-snatching incidents that have taken place along Oko Ufuma, Uga, and Amaokpala expressway, among others.
“The most recent according to the confessional statement of the suspect (Okechukwu) is an attack in a hotel on 13/8/2022 at Ndikelionwu, where a female staff was raped and the gang also made away with three television sets and other items,” he said.
He said efforts were being intensified to arrest other fleeing gang members.
In another development, on 9/9/2022 at 11 pm, security operatives attached to Neni in conjunction with the local security arrested one Chukwubike Anieto ‘m’ aged 20 years from Agulu; Chukwuemerie Ike ‘m’ aged 36 years from Agulu; Chidera Muo ‘m’ aged 25 years from Neni and Chukwuma Israel ‘m’ aged 28 years all residing at Umuezeani village, Akwaeze.
The PPRO also stated that the police, recovered one beretta pistol, three motorcycles, one axe, three machetes, one police belt, a Sumec generator, thirteen different brands of phones and other incriminating items from them.
Tochukwu revealed that an immediate search of their house led to the recovery of the items.
According to the spokesperson, upon interrogation, it was discovered that the gang attacked a police constable and disposed him of his personal belonging on 29/8/2022 along Umukabia Okofia village, Neni.
The PPRO said that in the most recent attacks of the gang, they were caught in the act on 9/9/2022 in an attempt to rob a lady of her belonging along Okofia village, Neni.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, CP Echeng Echeng, while charging the operatives to sustain the tempo on weeding out the criminal elements in the state, assured that the confidence repose on police shall not be taken for granted.
According to him, all suspects shall be charged to court at the conclusion of investigations
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