Anambra police nab five armed robbery suspects

Operatives of the Anambra State Police Command have arrested five suspected armed robbers and recovered two locally made pistols, live cartridges, four motorcycles, and three Plasma TVs, among others.

It was learnt that the operatives attached to Oko divisional headquarters busted a criminal hideout at an uncompleted building along Oko Ufuma Expressway in Orumba North Local Government Area.

One of the suspects, Okechukwu Okpo, ‘m’, 24 from Ndobasi Village, Ebonyi State, was caught with one locally made pistol, two live cartridges and three plasma televisions.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Ikenga Tochukwu added that the suspect was arrested based on credible information on Tuesday, 6 September 2022 in the early hours.

The PPRO said: “The criminal gang, on sighting the police vehicle opened fire on the operatives, who responded swiftly and engaged the armed robbers in a gunbattle, while the other gang members flee the scene, Okechukwu was arrested.

“Preliminary investigations show that the gang is responsible for over 25-armed robbery, kidnapping, and car-snatching that have happened along Oko Ufuma, Uga, Amaokpala Expressway, among others.

“The most recent ones, according to the confessional statement of the suspect (Okechukwu), was an attack in a hotel on 13/8/2022 at Ndikelionwu, where a female employee was raped and the gang also made away with three television sets and other items.

Tochukwu said efforts are emplaced to arrest the other fleeing gang members of the gang.

Similarly, Tochukwu stated on 9/9/2022 at about 11 pm that the operatives attached to Neni in conjunction with the local security arrested one Chukwubike Anieto ‘m’, 20, from Agulu; Chukwuemerie Ike, ‘m’, 36, from Agulu; Chidera Muo, ‘m’, 25, from Neni, and Chukwuma Israel, ‘m’, 28, all living at Umuezeani Village Akwaeze.

“Immediate search in the suspects’ houses led to the recovery of one berretta pistol, three motorcycles, one axe, three matches, one police belt, one Sumec generator, thirteen different brands of phones and other incriminating items,” he said.

On interrogation, Tochukwu confirmed that the gang attacked a police Constable and dispossessed 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”, he said.

The Commissioner of Police CP Echeng Echeng while charging the operatives to sustain the tempo on weeding out the criminal elements in the state, enhanced public safety and peace and assured that the confidence repose on police shall not be taken for granted.

“All suspects shall be charged on conclusion of the investigations”, Tochukwu said.