Segun Atanda/
The police in Enugu have announced some breakthroughs in their war against criminals in the state with one female and 45 male suspects in the net.
The offenses of the suspects, according to the police, included conspiracy, murder, rape/defilement, kidnapping, armed robbery, unlawful possession of firearms, stealing, vandalism, and cultism.
Enugu State police spokesman, ASP Daniel Ndukwe told NewsmakersNG that the operational activities, coordinated by CP Abubakar Lawal, led to the rescue of four kidnapped victims, recovery of 25 firearms of different makes, 31 live ammunition of different calibers, 53 live cartridges, three motor vehicles, six tricycles, two motorcycles, and other incriminating exhibits.
According to Ndukwe, the female suspect identified as 35-year-old Juliet Donatus, who was residing in Zaria, Kaduna State, was arrested at about 8:55 pm on April 9, by officers from Central Police Station (CPS) Enugu. Her arrest followed a tip-off that she was found attempting to sell a male child at Old Park Enugu. The 8-year-old child was rescued by the police.
Juliet allegedly confessed to having stolen the victim from Zamfara State and brought him to Enugu in search of a buyer. The case was transferred to the Gender/Anti-Human Trafficking Section of the State CID Enugu for preliminary investigation. It has been further handed over to Kaduna State Police Command for conclusive investigation and prosecution.
In other cases, Ndukwe stated: “One of the suspects, 19-year-old Onyemaechi Okorie of Uburu in Ohaozara LGA of Ebonyi State was arrested by officers at the New Haven Police Division on April 27, over the murder of his male co-worker on a construction site at Independence Layout Enugu. Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect engaged the deceased in a fight and smashed his head with a rod. The victim was rushed to the hospital for treatment, but he was later confirmed dead by doctors on duty, and the corpse was deposited in the mortuary for preservation and autopsy. Meanwhile, the case has been transferred to the State CID Enugu for conclusive investigation and prosecution.”
Going by Ndukwe’s situation report, on April 25, 2022, at about 2:30 pm, officers serving in the Anti-Cultism Squad of the Command, acted on a distress call, and arrested 22-year-old Haruna Abdulazeez of New Artisan Market, Enugu, and 32-year-old Mohammed Falani of Nkporogu, New Layout, Emene Enugu, while their cohorts escaped. The suspects allegedly robbed their victims of cash and other valuables, at gunpoint at New Layout, Emene. Their arrest led to the recovery of one Pump Action gun with five live and six expended cartridges, one dagger, two tricycles marked ENU 678 WE and NSH 254 UD respectively, a cash sum of N65,150, and a Tecno iPod.
The same officers arrested a 23-year-old Chukwuebuka Eze a.k.a. Nwarie; Abumchukwu Ezinwa a.k.a. Virgin Boy, 26; Chibuzor Nnonah, 27, and Ikenna Ukwu a.k.a. Kasie, 29, on 25th and 20th April 2022. Their arrest followed a tip-off that the suspects and others at large, snatched a tricycle from their victim at gunpoint on April 18, at Akegbe-Ugwu Primary School, after beating and tying him up. The suspects allegedly confessed to the crime and being members of Vikings Confraternity, while the unmarked, yellow tricycle has been recovered, while the police are making further investigation that will lead to the apprehension of the fleeing members of the criminal gang.
At about 9:30 pm on April 21, policemen in Ikirike Police Division, acting on a tip-off arrested a 24-year-old Ogochukwu Ugwu of MTN Mast, Akwuke Awkunanaw, Enugu South LGA. He allegedly, alongside other suspects now at large embarked on armed robberies within the Enugu metropolis.
Officers mounted security surveillance on the criminal gang and arrested the suspect along Agbani Road Enugu, while other members of the gang escaped. One locally made Long Gun with one live cartridge and the gang’s operational tricycle were recovered. The case has been transferred to the Anti-Robbery Section of State CID Enugu for conclusive investigation and prosecution.
At about 10 am on April 19, officers serving in the Anti-Kidnapping Squad of the Command arrested a 38-year-old Ogbonna Moses of Ibagwa-Aka, Igbo-Eze South LGA, following the discovery of two Beretta Pistols, 13 rounds of .9mm and three rounds of 7.62mm calibers of live ammunition in a bag of onions he was traveling with from Jos to Enugu on April 15.
Following allegations that a group of suspected criminals was sighted along Kenyetta, Uwani Enugu, on April 14, at about 8 pm, officers from Uwani Police Division swung into action. As soon as they were sighted, the hoodlums escaped leaving behind a bag.
When the bag was searched, the police found one AK-47 rifle without a magazine. It was loaded with one round of live 7.62mm caliber of ammunition. Detectives at the State CID have launched a manhunt for the fleeing suspects.
At about 3:30 pm on April 11, officers attached to the Anti-Cultism Squad of the Command, acting on a tip-off, arrested a 28-year-old Oha Nkemjika Kelechi a.k.a. DMX of Umueze, Nkanu West LGA; 26-year-old Peter Orji Ikechukwu a.k.a. Don 50 of Ishi-Ozalla, Nkanu West LGA, and 21-year-old Okpe Onyekachi a.k.a. ‘Certificate’ from Obollo-Afor, Udenu LGA.
The suspects allegedly confessed to being members of Vikings Confraternity and that their gang serially robbed traders at Amagugu Road, Garki Market, Awkunanaw Enugu on January 5, 2022.
According to the police, one locally-made cut-to-size single-barrelled gun with three live cartridges, a dagger, and a cutlass were recovered from them.
At about 11 am on April 8, officers from Enugu Metro Area Command nabbed one Nura Mohammed, 23, while others suspected members of his gang escaped. The arrest followed a tip-off that some boys in possession of guns were sighted at New Artisan Market, Enugu. One Berretta pistol with six rounds of live ammunition was allegedly recovered from the suspect. The case has been transferred to the Firearm Section of the State CID Enugu.
Officers serving in the Uwani Police Division, on March 31, 2022, at about 9:20 pm, intercepted a tricycle and arrested a 23-year-old Chisom Ikechukwu of Amechi Awkunanaw, Enugu South LGA. His arrest led to the recovery of one cut-to-size double-barrel-gun with one live and one expended cartridge, a knife, a Samsung Android phone, and one police beret. Also recovered is the tricycle marked ENU 120 VG that he was allegedly operating with.
In continuation of a case of conspiracy and kidnapping, officers from the CP’s Monitoring Unit, between March 22 and 24 arrested a 27-year-old Oko Chukwudi a.k.a. Anka-Dede; Ifeanyi Eze (36) a.k.a. Abrinanwa, and Sunday Ede Aneke, a 34-year-old native doctor a.k.a. Aneke-Ikenga, all from Akpugo, Nkanu West LGA. They were identified by the police as members of the gang that allegedly conspired and kidnapped a man named Amechi Oguama on October 20, 2021. The police said that three other members of the kidnapping gang – Chioma Uwa a.k.a. Dr. Happiness, Chekwube Nwatu a.k.a. Cheche, and Emeka Uwa, a.k.a. Akimbo, had earlier been arrested, arraigned in court, and remanded in Correctional Custodial Centre.
“All the newly arrested suspects confessed to have been actively involved in the kidnapping of the victim and the receipt of a ransom of over N10,000,000 by the gang. One Berretta pistol with 1 .9mm round of live ammunition was recovered from them. The suspects will be further arraigned in court and prosecuted alongside the previous suspects once a supplementary investigation into the case is concluded,” Ndukwe stated.
He added, “The Commissioner while applauding the support received from security stakeholders, which made the achievement of these modest operational breakthroughs possible, has commended and charged the Operatives to sustain the tempo in the Command’s quest to rid the State of unrepentant criminals and their activities.
‘The CP further calls on citizens of the State to remain law-abiding and vigilant, and continue to support the Police by promptly reporting criminals and their activities to the nearest Police Station or by calling the Command’s emergency hotlines on 08032003702, 08075390883, or 08086671202. They can alternatively send e-mails to contact042ppro@gmail.com and/or report security incidents using the Upgraded NPF Rescue Me App, which can be downloaded on Android and iPhone App Stores.”
Ndukwe noted that investigations into most of the cases have been concluded and charged to court, while others are currently being investigated.
He also stated that CP Abubakar charged his officers and men to sustain the tempo.
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