Police Nab 5 Armed Robbery Suspects, Recovers Arms & Ammunition

CHUKA UBAH

Operatives of the Anambra State Police Command have nabbed five armed robbery suspects and recovered arms and ammunition.

They also arrested two members of a robbery syndicate, who impersonate the Police to snatch vehicles from their victims. Items recovered from them included Police uniforms and a vehicle they had snatched which was in their possession.

It would be recalled that on the 7th August, 2019 at about 6.47am, Operation Puff Adder operatives in conjunction with the patrol team attached to ‘Operation Kpochapu’ while on stop and search duty at Upper Iweka area in Onitsha intercepted a bus with registration number UKP- 108-ZU coming from Asaba and after a thorough search they recovered a Police Beretta pistol with breech number AO-4909Z loaded  with seven rounds of life ammunition, one expended ammunition and six different mobile phones in possession of one Sunday Onyema, 35, of Orlu in Imo State.

According to SP Haruna Muhammed, PPRO Anambra State Police Command, discreet investigation by Police detectives attached to the Command Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) further led to the arrests of five additional suspects who belonged to the same syndicate at different locations within Orlu LGA of Imo State, Nsukka in Enugu State and Oba in Idemili South LGA of Anambra State.

The arrested suspects included Felix Chukwujiama, 33, of Oba,Anambra State, Oluchukwu Anyafule, 32, of Oba Anambra State, Ikechukwu Ibezim, 35, of Nkwere, Orlu, Imo State, Ikechukwu Igwe, 35, of Orlu Imo State and Emeka Mama, 34, of Nsukka, Enugu State respectively.

Meanwhile, exhibits recovered from the suspects in addition to the barreta pistol ealier recovered included one English chief revolver pistol, one locally made double barrel pistol, five live cartridges and one .9mm live ammunition.

Consequently, on 8th August, 2019, at about 4:30pm, following intelligence report, Police operatives attached to the Command Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) arrested at Ihiala, one Hassan Abuka, 33, of otukpo, Benue State, fully dressed in Police camouflage uniform bearing a DSP rank and one Ismaila Ahmed, 37, also of Otukpo, Benue State.

The suspects, who specialised in impersonating the Police to deceive their victims, snatched a Toyota Corolla car, with registration number Lagos AGL 357 FC, from a yet to be identified victim in Lagos and were located at their hideout in Anambra State.

Exhibits recovered in their possession included the snatched vehicle and additional vehicle plate number Lagos FKJ 701 FR.

According to SP Haruna, all the suspects have voluntarily confessed to the crime and are assisting the Police with useful information that could aid investigation after which they would be charged to court for prosecution.