Segun Atanda/
Three gangs of kidnappers have again been smashed in Abia State by policemen who quickly followed tips from members of the public.
According to the police, two of the suspects, who were among 30 felons paraded yesterday, were nabbed before day break inside a hotel room as they were sharing the ransom paid by a victim’s family on July 27.
A military rifle and loads of ammunition used by another fleeing kidnapper were recovered from the bush, after officers were led to a hospital where a suspect had died while being treated for bullet wounds sustained in gun battle with the police who rescued a victim identified as Onyemaechi Mbamaonyeukwu Ijeoma.
Three members of a gang had earlier been killed on July 18 at Osisioma Ngwa, where they had abducted the Managing Director of Mba Hotels, Aba, in his ash colour Nissan Infinity Jeep and held him hostage at an uncompleted building in Umuajuju Ovungwu, Isiala Ngwa South LGA while negotiating for ransom.
Abia State commissioner of police (CP), Mr Adeleye Oyebade attributed the increasing success story of his men to the growing support from members of the public.
He said, “Operatives attached to the Command’s Dragon Squad in Aba, while acting on a tip off, arrested two men, Samuel Akoma and Kenneth Ananaba, in a hotel room at Aba where the hoodlums lodged after collecting ransom to release their hostage. Two vehicles, including that of the released hostage were recovered.”
A victim identified as Ijeoma Okereke was also rescued by the police from another gang of kidnappers at about 1pm on July 22.
Oyebade said that the victim was rescued when “PMF 55 men on nipping point duty, at Owerrinta acting on a tip off, intercepted a 14-seater Mitsubishi L300 bus with registration number SB 639 WER painted white and green. They arrested the duo of Chinemere Amamba aged 39 years and Nnamdi Monday, both from Nmelele Isiala Ngwa South”.
The victim identified as a student at Imo State University, in Owerri was abducted at about 12pm along Emekuku junction, on Douglas Road, in Owerri.
On the suspected kidnapper found dead at a hospital, Oyebade said, “The deceased suspect identified as Charles Ndubuisi Nwaichi of Eziudo, Ezinihitte Mbaise in Imo State was, on information, traced to Abia State Teaching Hospital in Aba where he was taken to by his brother, one Obioma Monday Nwaichi for treatment. He eventually gave up the ghost on July 22. Prior to this development, one Military-type AK 47 rifle with bayonet, double magazine and ten rounds of live ammunition were recovered on July 24, during further combing of a bush in search of wounded suspects.”
Other suspects at the parade included burglars, cultists, motorcycle snatchers, and members of various armed robbery gangs.
Oyebade said, “There was an armed robbery incident at Akwette in which a motorcyclist was shot by one of his Fulani passengers as he resisted attempt to snatch the motorcycle from him on June 20. The next day, one of the suspects was arrested following the combined efforts of the Police and Vigilante group in the area and one locally made gun recovered. During interrogation, the suspect confessed to the crime. He said that the gun belonged to his cohort, one Suleiman, who had used it to shoot the victim. Following the lead from the first suspect, Adamu Abubakar, the said Suleiman Muhammed from Zamfara State was arrested on July 14 at DE-DORIS Hotel, Omuma Igurita in Rivers State by operatives attached to Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) Obehie. The suspect has also confessed to the crime and both will be arraigned in Court soonest.”
Reporters were told that two suspects named as Ugochukwu Ugwumba, 22, and Goodnews Uwem, 18 were arrested after their gang allegedly snatched a N500, 000 handset, at gunpoint, from a lady who was receiving a call on the road.
Two others named as Onyekaozuru Emenike and Chibuzo Okoroafor were identified as members of a 4-man gang that used machetes and daggers to snatch cash and GSM phones from three victims
The police also told reporters how a brave passenger had assisted them in smashing a gang of armed robbers when he grabbed one of them as they were escaping after raiding a commercial bus marked ETU 66 XA. The victims were travelling to Arochukwu for a traditional wedding.
The arrested suspect, identified as Madusbuchi Ekeleme, led detectives to a hide-out at Ubakala area in Umuahia South LGA, where a man named as Bright Iroakazi, and two women named as Chizoba Ede and Adaugo Onuoha were arrested at a hideout in possession of substance suspected to be Cocaine.
The police also paraded three suspected cultists accused of killing a man simply identified as Prince.
The suspects arrested by the Divisional Crime Officer, Isuochi, were identified as Samuel Chukwuemeka, Abdulazeez Mukaila and Obisike Ekezie, all members of ‘Red Barger’ confraternity.
Oyebade said, “The suspects have confessed to the crime; search was conducted in their houses during which the following items were recovered: three red caps, four bangles, two daggers, one Samsung TV with its remote control, one Sony Speaker, one DSTV Decoder and a pair of canvas. The dagger used in the act has been identified in the two recovered. Effort has been intensified toward the arrest of other fleeing members of the cult group.”
Officers working with vigilante men at Nkwoudara Ovungwu Isiala Ngwa South LGA arrested four suspects identified as Chisom Chimezie, 19; Ogbonna Onyeka, 22; Kingsley Onyemuru, 20, and Chinonso Madugba, 18, all from Osisioma LGA.
Police said that one locally made pistol with two live cartridges, two jack knives, four ATM cards, a wallet containing N9, 090 and six ID cards were recovered from the suspects, who were allegedly identified by one Uchenna Ikpendu of Ibeku-Ngwa in Osisioma as the hoodlums who snatched his brand new Qlink 150 Motorcycle at gunpoint on July 23 at about 5:30pm in Umuehim Nvosi Isiala Ngwa South.
According to the CP, officers from Central Police Station in Aba recovered a bulletproof vest, three live cartridges, one jack knife and an International Passport from one Obasi Chibuike who allegedly identified himself as member of a 4-man gang.
Also acting on a tip off, detectives attached to Abiriba Division and Central Police Station in Aba arrested suspected burglars and recovered some items stolen from the house of a Cameroun-based businessman, Hon. Agbara Ashiegbu, and those of victims named as Azubuike Ejikeme, Amarachi Patrick. The items included electronics, power generating sets, a truck and assorted drinks.
The arrested suspects were named as Ifendi Eke and Nwokocha Ndukwe, Frank Egure, Joseph Patrick and Chinedu Elewechi.
The CP said, “Following a distress call from Isiama Afara-Ukwu in Umuahia that two armed robbers were arrested in the village on July 30, a patrol team attached to World Bank Division, at Umuahia swiftly raced to the scene where two suspects were found unconscious with two locally made shotguns and seven live cartridges. Both suspects were rushed to the hospital, where one was confirmed dead and the other who gave his name as Chukwuoma Nweze, made a dying declaration confessing to the crime. However, one Ada Kalu that harboured the hoodlums has been arrested. Corpses of the deceased have been deposited in the morgue while effort is in progress to track down their mentioned accomplices.
“On July 29, at about 1pm, while acting on information, a patrol team attached to Mike Okiro Division in collaboration with the youths of Ubani Community, in Umuahia, arrested one Oluchukwu Onuoha of same community for robbing the duo of Mercy Akobundu and Ndu Azu. One dagger used in the robbery, wrap of weeds suspected to be Cannabis and N3, 120 robbed from Mercy Akobundu were recovered. Effort has been intensified to arrest the fleeing accomplice.
“Policemen attached to Osisioma Division recovered a Mitsubishi bus marked XA 912 KGE. It was allegedly removed from where it was parked at Okigwe, in Imo State, on July 29, 2017.
“One Chijioke Ahamefula, 26, was arrested in connection with the theft and the police are making efforts to reach the owner and transfer the suspect to Imo State Command for further investigation.”
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