The police in Abia State have rescued a 2-week-old baby girl allegedly sold by the father without the mum’s knowledge.
The child’s rescue was among the accomplishments of a new security outfit set up by the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Leye Oyebade, to stamp out evil in God’s Own State.
Briefing reporters at the police officer’s mess in Umuahia, Oyebade told how the newly set up Tactical Response Squad (TRS) and other special police units in the state also arrested nine suspected armed robbers and cultists, two vandals and a child trafficker. They recovered five vehicles and rescued an abducted woman, as well as the baby girl allegedly sold by the father.
He said, “On April 24, 2017 at about 1600hrs, detectives attached to Uratta Division while on surveillance duty at Uratta junction Aba, arrested a woman named Gift Kpaa from Gogana, Rivers State, with a 2-week-old baby girl. On interrogation, she confessed that she was not the biological mother of the baby; that the girl was given to her by the biological father, identified as Ntue.
“Meanwhile, it is deductible that the suspect connived with the said Ntue now at large and stole the baby from her biological mother. The baby has been taken to a motherless baby’s home for care and custody while efforts are put in place to re-unite the baby with her biological mother and arrest of the accomplice.”
the state governor has earmarked a mouth watering sum for anyone that would volunteer information towards tracking down armed robbery and kidnapping suspects
Seeking increased public support at the briefing, Oyebade said, “I wish to acknowledge the efforts of all those who promptly gave us information that helped to realize certain feats and urged them to do more especially now, that the state governor has earmarked a mouth watering sum for anyone that would volunteer information towards tracking down armed robbery and kidnapping suspects in the state.”
He revealed how the quick intervention by his men had saved a woman whose husband, Bernard Madu, alerted the police at World Bank Division, Umuahia, that his wife, Chioma Madu was abducted by gunmen in her Toyota Camry car marked BDC 423 CU.
A manhunt by the police was said to have forced the suspected kidnappers to abandon the vehicle and release the woman.
Oyebade also told reporters how policemen attached to 55PMF in Aba recovered a stolen ash-coloured Nissan Pathfinder SUV on April 21 at about 11:40pm while on routine patrol of the Highway at Umuimo Junction, Ekeakpara in Osisioma area of Aba.
He said that the policemen had flagged down the car marked CU 195 FST (Lagos), but the driver, instead of producing the vehicle documents as demanded, zoomed off and he was chased by the PMF patrol team.
“After beating the military check point at Arungwa junction, the driver abandoned the vehicle and fled into the bush,” the CP said. “The vehicle was recovered and transferred to Osisioma Division for investigation.”
Acting on a report by one Emmanuel Nwachukwu of 34, Nkume Street by Ariaria in Aba, who was robbed at gunpoint while returning from Church at 23, Ndukauba by John Crescent Aba, policemen arrested one of the suspects identified as Onyekachi Nwobodo. They allegedly snatched the victim’s Samsung GSM phone valued at N60, 000 and hit him with the butt of the pistol which gave him injury on the left eye.
“On the same day, at about 8am, following a report made by one Prince James Esonwune of 2, Nkoro Street, Aba, that he was dispossessed of the sum of N450, 000, International Passport, Zenith Bank ATM card and National Identity Card, police operatives attached to Aba Area Command swung into action and arrested one Emenike Obinna, while others escaped. The suspects have confessed to the crime and are assisting the investigation,” Oyebade said.
He added, “Patrol team attached to Central Police Station, Aba, while on patrol along Ikot Ekpene Road, by Macro Hotels Aba, accosted one Kelvin Chima of Ukaegbu area in Aba, who reported to them that some hoodlums robbed him of his valuables including an Android GSM phone. They immediately went after the hoodlums, during which the duo of Onyebuchi Ogolo and Paul Bisom of no fixed address were arrested. The stolen Android Phone, with other valuables belonging to the complainant, was recovered from them. The suspects have however, confessed to crime and membership of a notorious Cult group on revenge mission to rob and kill against the ‘Aro Baggas’ cult group whose leader once launched an attack against theirs sometime in January 2017.”
Police intervention was also said to have led to the recovery of one locally made Revolver pistol with four rounds of ammunition on April 16, when one Obinna Akpugo of 8, Ife Road, in Aba was robbed by two bandits while returning from his shop along Umuode/Ife Road. The victim was able to hold one of the hoodlums until policemen arrived while others fled.
The suspect, identified as Onyekachi Ubani, was arrested by the Police, who allegedly found the weapon and ammunition on him.
Also mentioned at the press briefing is the case of suspected vandals arrested at about 5:40am on April 21, during a Stop and Search operation by a patrol team attached to Uratta Division at Uratta junction, in Aba,
The police allegedly accosted two men identified as Onyedikachi Ejim and Anthony Mitong found in possession of some motor vehicle parts later identified as four trailer radiators, one 150Amps Battery, one alternator and one kick starter.
The suspects allegedly confessed during interrogation that they had vandalized a trailer parked along the highway.
“They also mentioned their criminal receivers notably among them, one Ugochukwu Okoli of 450 Port Harcourt Road, Aba, who was recently arrested in a case of receiving stolen EEDC Cables and Inverter batteries,” Oyebade said.
Other cases mentioned included: “Following a distress call received on April 23, via police control room in Aba, that one Onyeka Chigemezu of Omuma Road, Aba, was being robbed of his valuables including GSM phones and money by four hoodlums; patrol team attached to Central Police Station Aba swiftly raced to the scene, combed the area and, in the course, arrested one 23-year-old Onyekachi Benjamin in whose possession one of the stolen GSM phones was found. The suspect, in custody, is giving a lead toward arresting his fleeing cohorts.
“On April 25, 2017 at about 1730hrs, operatives attached to SIB Umuahia recovered a Toyota Lexus Jeep marked UNC 986 AA, stolen from its owner – one Ezeru Flavian of Owari Road, Port Harcourt, in Rivers State, sometime in 2015 by hoodlums disguising as police officers. The vehicle was tracked, with the aid of technical device, down to 9, Adindu Street off Port Harcourt Road, Aba, in the possession of one Samuel Victor Enyinnaya. The suspect, Samuel Victor Enyinnaya claimed he bought same from one Emmanuel Chigbu of Methodist Church Road, Abayi Aba (now abroad) on October 11, 2016. Effort is intensified toward arresting other suspects.
“Consequent upon a 2-month Intelligence gathering on the activities of hoodlums who specialize in snatching exotic cars from neighbouring states and bringing them down to Aba, detectives attached to Central Police Station Aba arrested two men named Emmanuel John and Oyenka Nnaji on April 27 at about 11:50pm.
“The arrest of the suspects led to the recovery of one Lexus RX 300 Jeep marked ABC 472 LK, which they confessed to have received from one Don in Port Harcourt after it was snatched from its owner in Asaba, Delta State. Investigation is in progress.
“On April 27, 2017 at about 11:30pm, patrol team attached to Central Police Station, Aba, while on Nipping Point at Bata junction in Aba, intercepted a Toyota Sienna van marked SMK 732 AU, being driven in a suspicious manner. The vehicle was flagged to stop but the driver refused hence the team went after him. The driver jumped out of the vehicle and ran into an adjoining street along Azikiwe Asa road, Aba. The recovered vehicle was found to have been hurriedly painted white from its original colour. Effort is on to arrest the driver.”
Oyebade revealed that the implementation of different strategies mapped out by the Command in fighting Crime and Criminality to a standstill vis-à-vis the inauguration of its TRS shortly before the Easter Celebration made Abia residents wore smiling faces during the period.
“Although it is not yet Uhuru, but the Command is not resting on its oars as more is still needed to make Abia attain its desired height in the area of security,” Oyebade said.
He reiterated the need for police-public partnership, as he called on Abia residents to continue to volunteer credible information that would enhance police productivity.
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