Police Arrest Alleged 16-year-old Female Armourer in Bayelsa

By Emmanuel Addeh in Yenagoa

The police in Bayelsa have apprehended a 16-year-old girl, identified as Favour Wisdom, for allegedly supplying arms and ammunition to a gang of armed robbers in Yenagoa led by her boyfriend.

The spokesman of the command, Mr. Asinim Butswat, said in  statement yesterday that the arrest followed  counter security measures code-named ‘Operation Safer Bayelsa’ put in place by the command to confront  violent crimes in the state.

He said the gang which the girl supplied and kept deadly arms had been terrorising residents and robbing them of their belongings, adding that the young men opened fire on security personnel in Azikoro, Yenagoa.

The incident which happened yesterday morning, he said, led to the death of one of the suspects, while another was severely wounded.

“On 8April 8, 2018, at about 0200hrs, the command control room alerted the Azikoro Divisional Police Anti-Robbery Team that armed robbers were operating behind Azikoro Health Care Centre, Azikoro, Yenagoa.

“The team responded swiftly and met about three daredevil armed robbers on the spot, the robbers engaged the police in a gun duel, police exchanged fire and  gunned down one of the robbers and injured another.

“The team recovered one locally made cut-to-size gun, two live cartridges, eight mobile phones some jewelry and some cash,” Butswat said.

The command identified the victims of the robbery attack as Iprebo Ayebanengiyefa, 40 years, one Awubare, 39-year and one Sunny Peter, 42, all males who have identified their valuables among those recovered from the suspects.

“One of the suspects identified as Selepamodei Ogili, 23 years,  a jailbird has died as a result of the gunshot wound, the other suspect one Kimipanipre P. Franklin AKA Castro ‘m’ 22 years, a final year Political Science Student of Niger Delta University (NDU), was  wounded.

“He confessed that they are members of Bobos cult group, the third suspect is at large and effort has been intensified to arrest him. Further investigation has led to arrest of one Favour Wisdom ‘f’ 16 the girlfriend of the deceased suspect who is allegedly their armourer,” Butswat said.