The Abia State Command of the Nigeria Police Force on Monday announced that its personnel attached to Umuopara Police Station in Umuahia North Local Government Area of the state on an intensive stop and search operation has arrested an armed robbery and car snatching gang.
This was disclosed by the command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Geoffrey Ogbonna in a statement released to journalists on behalf of the state commissioner of Police, Mr. Chris Ezike.
Ogbonna in the release gave names of the four-man gang members as Alegu Anaeto ‘m’ of Ezea, Ebonyi State, 22yrs, Daniel Omeh ‘m’ of Mgbo, Ohaukwu LGA Ebonyi State, 25yrs, Peter Onuameme ‘m’ of Obowo Imo State, 38yrs and iv. Emeka Ibeh ‘m’ of Obokwu Obizi Ezinihitte Mbaise Imo State, 48yrs.
The police personnel was also said to have recovered a Toyota Sienna SUV with Registration number HM 67 EKY, which they allegedly snatched on gunpoint from its owner, one Iwuchukwu Prince Chimuanya of No. 24 Amaigbo Road, Port Harcourt in Rivers State.
The suspects were said to have also made away with cash sum of his N25,000.00, Permanent Voters’ Card, original Driver’s License and other valuables of the victim.
According to Ogbonna the Umuopara officers intercepted Alegu Anaeto with the vehicle and when he was questioned, he could not give proper account of the vehicle.
Anaeto was later transferred to the Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit where he made confessional statements that led to the arrest of his cohorts and revelations of more of their escapades.
It was learnt that the Commissioner of Police has directed the immediate transfer of the suspects to Rivers Command, where the matter was originally reported.
Ogbonna said that arrest of the suspects and recovery of the SUV was because of the determination of the Police Commissioner to purge Abia of crime and criminality which was why he (Ezike) created tactical operational units which include Anti-Kidnapping Unit, Monitoring Unit and Anti-Cultism, stressing that the units since their creation have made significant and remarkable marks in investigations and crime fighting in the State.