Kuje residents accuse police of shielding suspected robber

Residents of Pegni in Kuje Area Council, Abuja, have accused the police in the area of allegedly providing cover to a suspected robbery kingpin, who had been terrorising them.
A resident of the community, Mr. Chikwado Onah, who led over 100 residents of the community on a protest to the police station yesterday afternoon, alleged that the suspected robbery kingpin, simply identified as Babangida, had been terrorising residents of Pegni village for some time.
 He alleged that the police were aware of his criminal activities but had failed to arrest him.
“Babangida operates freely, robbing people of their valuables – monies as well as household items,” he alleged.
He also alleged that despite several complaints lodged by victims of the robberies at the police outpost in the village, no action had been taken against the suspect.
“Even when the suspect was arrested recently, the police men at the outpost released him the next day without carrying out any investigation. The suspect was again arrested at Tipper Garage Junction with some stolen items but nothing has been done, which is seriously putting our lives in danger, “he claimed.
Onah, further alleged that whenever the suspect was arrested for being in possession of stolen items, a military man went to the police station to claim that the items belonged to him, and that the police usually release the suspect and the stolen items to him.
Our reporter, tried to get the reaction of the Divisional Crime Officer, but he declined comment and referred our reporter to the FCT police command.
When contacted, the FCT Police Command Public Relations Officer, DSP Anjugiri Manza, said no robbery suspect was shielded by the police. He however confirmed that the robbery suspect in question had been arrested and was currently in detention at the police command.
“During police investigation, we were able to recover a refrigerator and some electronic items in his possession and he will soon be charged to court,” he said.