Segun Atanda/
After killing two policemen, one US-based army officer and eight members of Abia Vigilante Services, an attempt by a dreaded gang to kill more security agents has backfired.
Newsmakersng learnt that the gang was smashed by policemen, who were ambushed when they were trying to use one arrested suspect as bait to get the others.
According to Abia State police spokesman, DSP Geoffrey Ogbonna, a member of the gang was killed and several others injured, during the ambush in which the police patrol vehicle was riddled with bullets.
A statement from Ogbonna says, “A dreaded and notorious armed robbery/kidnap gang, who had been terrorizing the State and its neighbouring states, has been smashed by a team of detectives attached to Anti-Kidnapping Section of State Criminal Investigations Department (D7) Umuahia on 05/06/17 in an encounter with members of the gang along Ukpakiri/Ikot Ekpene Road, Aba.
“A member of the gang, one Samuel Kalu alias ‘Obere’ who was arrested by the team upon a tip off on 27/05/17 in Okai Item, Bende LGA had confessed to the killing of two policemen at Orji Uzor Kalu Bridge about two months ago, killing of one Chuks Mbaeri Okebata, a USA based Army Officer from Mbieri Imo State in December 2016 and that of eight members of the Abia Vigilante Services.
“The team in a lead by the suspect towards arresting his gang members and recovering their weapons was attacked by hoodlums suspected to be his gang members. During a shootout, the suspect was caught up in the crossfire while one of the detectives sustained some injuries and the patrol van riddled with bullets.”
Geoffrey said that the Commissioner of Police (CP), Adeleye Oyebade, had drafted the Command’s Tactical Response Squad to assist in tracking down the remaining members of the gang.
Oyebade has also called on members of the public to volunteer information to the Police or any other Security Agency on anyone found with bullet wounds.
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