Segun Atanda/
Twenty-Three suspects have been held by the police in Abia State for crimes including armed robberies, kidnappings, and cultism in the last two weeks.
Details of their offences, including the theft of INEC laptops, were given when the state commissioner of police (CP) Leye Oyebade addressed reporters at a parade in Umuahia on Wednesday.
Oyebade, who also held a workshop on health to keep his men in shape for the task at hand, commended members of the public for assisting the police to reduce the crime rate in the state.
He said, “On August 20, at about 9pm, operatives attached to Isiala-Ngwa North Division, during a raid of suspected criminal hideouts at Mbubo Nsulu Isiala-Ngwa North, arrested four teenagers belonging to the notorious ABC cult group. The cultists, whose names are David Adieze, aged 18 years; Chinemere Isaac, aged 14 years; Chimezie Moses Francis, 17 years and Okon Effiong Samuel, 19 years all males were arrested with one locally made revolver pistol, its two rounds of live ammunition and charms. Investigation is in progress.
“On August 21, at about 1:30am, following a distress call from one Eberechi Nwaeze of Osaa-Ukwu village that one Maduforo Iheanacho of same village burgled his house and carted away his belongings, patrol team attached to Ohuru Isimiri Division in Aba swooped on the said Maduforo Iheanacho and recovered two sets of ZINOX Lap-Top Computers property of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other items belonging to Eberechi Nwaeze during a search of his house. Investigation is in progress.
“On August 29, at about 10:30pm, after painstaking intelligence gathering, team of detectives attached to Central Police Station in Aba intercepted one Toyota Sienna van with registration number BDG 775DL along Milverton/Asa Road, in Aba, driven by one Chika John of no fixed address. The vehicle belonging to one Anthonia Okpokoro of 23 John Street, Aba, was reported stolen from where it was parked sometime in 2015. The suspect, Chika John, confessed to have stolen the vehicle from where it was parked. Investigation is ongoing to arrest other suspects.”
Oyebade also told how his men at Central Police Station, in Aba, had smashed a gang while acting on a report received from a man.
According to him, members of the 3-man gang were impersonating as Navy officers.
They allegedly stormed a motor park at about 4:20pm on August 20 and abducted a boy in a white Toyota Hummer bus marked NSH 884 YW snatched at the park.
By 5:30pm, the next day, detectives were able to track the stolen vehicle down to Owerri, in Imo State, where they arrested a 35-year-old suspect identified as Obinna Ekere.
Police told reporters that other suspects escaped, but Ekere confessed that the vehicle was given to him by his wife’s younger brother, one Michael Chimaobi Obiakor, who claimed to be a student of Maritime Academy in Delta State.
While acting on a tip off on August 19, operatives attached to Anti-Kidnapping Section (D7) of SCIID Umuahia in collaboration with the vigilante group in Amuzukwu Ibeku Umuahia, arrested one Chikodi Okoronkwo, 20, of Amuzukwu Ibeku in Umuahia North, Abia State.
Oyebade said, “The suspect had on the same date with two others at large robbed one Ifedikwa Sochima of Uwalaka Street, Umuahia, of his valuables including one school bag, one Compaq Lap-Top Computer, three torch lights and a pair of white Jean trousers. Subsequently, on August 21, at about 4:30pm, one Oyiam Thankgod, 18, a fleeing member of the gang was arrested by the investigating team. One machete used in the robbery concealed in Jean trousers worn by Chikodi Okoronkwo was recovered. The suspects have confessed to the crime and more efforts are being intensified towards arresting other fleeing members of the gang.
“On August 24, at about 7:15pm, in response to a distress call by Commissioner of Police, Onuoha Udeka (rtd) of Nkporo, Ohafia LGA, operatives attached to Nkporo Division swung into action and recovered one locally made pistol which one James Udeagwa of Ndiodukorukwa Nkporo used in threatening to shoot one Agbai Kalu Nkuma of Ndingele Opuma Nkporo over an argument. The suspect, who was disarmed, took to his heels. Then on August 27, at about 7pm, the fleeing suspect, James Udeagwa was arrested by the Police. Investigation is in progress.
“On August 25, at about 7:40pm, one Mighty Monday of Ohanku Road in Aba reported at Ndiegoro Police Station in Aba that he was robbed of his Nokia Phone valued at N5,500; Sandal Slippers valued at N8,000 and cash sum of N2,000 by four armed men. Based on the report, detectives attached to Ndiegoro Police Station, Aba, swung into action and arrested one Prince Nwachukwu who was identified by the complainant and the said Prince Nwachukwu subsequently led the detectives to a hideout at Umuba village Ogbor-Hill where the trio of Nnamdi Raymond, Okoronkwo Chikezie and Uchenna Kalu all males were arrested. The suspects confessed membership of Vikings cult group. However, the stolen items and a locally made pistol were recovered from the hideout of one Sampson Ukeji now on the run. Effort is being intensified towards the arrest of the fleeing suspect.”
Also in police net are two members of a phone-snatching syndicate who allegedly robbed one Chisom Chukwu of her handset and money on August 22.
The suspects, arrested by policemen from Ndiegoro Division, were identified as Chukwuebuka Ahuzie and Chigozie Wisdom.
Chukwu was returning from work along Obohia Road, in Aba, when she was attacked.
“When she noticed that they were threatening her with an iron rod, she courageously held one of them and raised the alarm which attracted a security man to assist in arresting the other. The suspects were rearrested, searched and the stolen items recovered from them,” Oyebade said.
He added, “Also on August 26, at about 11:30pm, along Ohanku Road in Aba, patrol team attached to the same station while on routine patrol of the area arrested four men named Emenike Nwachukwu, Chidiebere Uche, Ikechukwu Ogbonna and Chinonso Kalu who had snatched a GSM phone from one Okorie Eke by intimidation. The said GSM phone was also recovered from them. All the suspects involved in the two incidents have confessed to the crime and will be charged to court soonest.
“On August 25, at about 4pm, detectives attached to Ndiegoro Police Station in Aba, during a raid of criminal hideouts and black spots arrested the duo of Daniel Chukwu of Ihuoma Street by Ohanku Road and Agbai Okorie of Milverton Park in Aba. They were in possession of 110 and 70 wraps of weeds suspected to be cannabis. Suspects will soon be charged to court after investigation.
“On August 25, at about 2:30pm, operatives attached to the Anti-Kidnapping Section (D7) SCIID Umuahia, while acting on a tip off, arrested the duo of Emmanuel Nnah of 14C Ekpem Street in Aba and Agwonesi Felix of Bawas Street, in Umuahia who were in possession of one Mack Truck, with fake registration number GWB 462 XA, suspected to have been stolen. Investigation is ongoing to unravel the true status of the vehicle and to arrest other suspects behind the act.
“On August 15, at about 8am, on information, operatives attached to Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (F-SARS) Obehie arrested the trio of Chigozie Akpara, Ndubuisi Nwoko of Umuokwo village Asa and Nnamdi Kanu of Umukalu village both in Ukwa-West LGA who broke into Oza Secondary School Asa sometime last year and carted away eight Desktop Computer sets supplied to the school by NDDC. The suspects confessed to the crime and the stolen computer sets have been recovered.
“Also on August 20, at about 5am, the same operatives while on patrol along Aba/Port-Harcourt Expressway arrested the duo of Agu Sunday and Chinagorom Nwaogwugwu both males of Obigbor village Asa, Ukwa-West in possession of three trailer batteries of 200AMPS each, battery wire and charger. The items were stolen from Obimobio Nigeria Limited, Obuaku City, Aba/Port-Harcourt Expressway. The suspects confessed to the crime and the items were recovered.
“On August 30, at about 7am, a team of Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (F-SARS) along Ikot-Ekpene Road, in Aba, intercepted one L300 Mitsubishi Bus, with registration number KT 126 KST, conveying 24 pieces of Solar Batteries and two gas cylinders with its hose. One Ifeanyi Jacob suspected to be a member of the gang that recently robbed at an MTN Mast in Ohanze village Obi-Ngwa LGA during which the security man attached to the Mast, one Brown Ohia was attacked. Effort is on to apprehend other members of the gang.”
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