.•••Recover Pistol, Two Live Cartridges, Four Motorcycles, others
By Kamsi Anayo
The Anambra State Police Command has arrested five robbery suspects in the State.
The police recovered a locally fabricated pistol, two live cartridges, four motorcycles, three plasma televisions and other items between Aug. 8 and Sept. 9 this year.
The State Police Command Spokesman, DSP Ikenga Tochukwu made the disclosure in a statement in Awka on Sunday.
He said the police operatives attached to Oko divisional headquarters acting on a credible information in the early hours of Sept. 6 bursted a criminal hide out, an uncompleted building along Oko Ufuma expressway in Orumba North LGA, and arrested one Okechukwu Okpo ‘M’ age 24years of Ndobasi village, Ebonyi State
He said they recovered one locally fabricated pistol, two live cartridges and three plasma television.
According to him, the criminal gang on sighting the police vehicle opened fire on the operatives.
“The operatives responded swiftly, engaged the armed robbers in a gun battle, while other gang members fled the scene, while Okechukwu was arrested.
Ikenga added that preliminary investigations showed that the gang were responsible for over 25 armed robberies kidnappings, car-snatching incidents along Oko Ufuma, Uga, 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 and other items,” he said.
Ikenga said that efforts were being made to arrest other fleeing gang members.
“In another development, on 9/9/2022 at about 11pm, operatives attached to Neni in conjunction with the local security arrested one Chukwubike Anieto ‘m’ Aged 20years from Agulu, Chukwuemerie ike ‘m’ aged 36 years from Agulu, Chidera muo ‘m’ aged 25 years from Neni and Chukwuma isreal ‘m’ aged 28 years all residing at umuezeani village Akwaeze.
He said that the operatives recovered one berreta pistol, three motorcycles, one axe, three matchets, one police belt, one sumec generator, thirteen different brands of phones and other incriminating items.
“Immediate search in their house led to the recovery of the above.
“On interrogation by the police operatives, reveals that the gang attacked a police constable, dispossess him of his personal belonging on 29/8/2022 along Umukabia Okofia village, Neni.
“Also most recently, the gang were caught in the act on 9/9/2022 in an attempt to rob a lady of her belonging along Okofia village, Neni.
Ikenga said the Commissioner of Police, CP Echeng Echeng charged the operatives to sustain the tempo of weeding out the criminal elements in the state, to enhance public safety and peace.
“The commissioner assured that the confidence reposed on the police shall not be taken for granted. All suspects shall be charge to court on the conclusion of the investigations,” he said.
