David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka
Police in Anambra State yesterday said they have killed two suspected armed robbers, while one of the suspects was arrested alive.
The spokesperson of the state Police Command, DSP Ikenga Tochukwu, disclosed this to THISDAY in a statement, saying the police operatives later led one of the suspects to their hideout, where three more suspected criminals were arrested.
The statement said: “On December 5, 2021, at about 0530 hours, the Anambra State Police Command operatives intercepted a three-man armed robbery gang operating around Idemili flyover, Obosi by Onitsha-Owerri road.
“The hoodlums, who were about to rob passengers travelling on a Toyota Sienna van, opened fire on sighting the police. The operatives responded swiftly gunning down two armed suspects, later identified as Chinedu Okeri from Enugu and Chukwuebuka Orizu from Anambra State, while the third suspect, Abuchi Osim, from Enugu State, was arrested.
“The police recovered two locally-made pistols, five cartridges and the tricycle that brought the gangsters to scene of crime.
“In a follow-up operation, the arrested suspect led the operatives to their criminal hideout in Atani Ogbaru LGA were Chinedu Ogunna, 21, Arinze Chukwu, 16, and Ebuka Ayazie, 18, were arrested, who they claimed belonged to the same cult group and armed robbery gang.”
Ikenga said: the state Commissioner, Echeng Echeng, has assured the state that the Police Command, which has since rejigged its policing strategy and made same potent and dynamic measures to respond to any emergency and security challenges, would not relent in safeguarding lives and property of people of the state, especially during the yuletide season and beyond.
He noted that Echeng, therefore, enjoined law-abiding citizens of the state to remain vigilant and continue to support the security agencies with credible information in the fight against crimes in the state.
Meanwhile, a criminal syndicate that specialised in stealing street light armoured cables, critical components of generating sets and other accessories has been arrested in Awka.
The suspects, Eze Ominyi from Nweze in Ebonyi State and Kenechukwu Ekeka from Ndiorah Amansea in Anambra State, while confessing to their crime, narrated how they used axe, diggers and other tools to dig out and cut the armoured copper cables of street lights which they later sell to their client, one Alhaji Abubakar at Ugwuoba.
