POLICE BURST TWO CRIMINAL HIDEOUTS IN ANAMBRA, ARREST 5
REPORTER: KEVIN EKEDIEGWU
The Police Command in Anambra State has arrested a member of a notorious criminal gang, Okechukwu Okpo, said to be terrorising Orumba North Local Government Area.
In a statement, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr. Tochukwu Ikenga, said their operatives attached to Oko Divisional Headquarters, acting on a credible information, bursted a criminal hide out, an uncompleted building on Oko-Ufuma road in Orumba North Local Government and arrested the suspect.
The statement explained that the operatives recovered one locally fabricated pistol, two live cartridges and three plasma television sets from the 24-year-old suspect, who hailed from Ndobasi village in Ebonyi State.
The statement said the criminal gang on sighting the police vehicle opened fire on the operatives and the operatives responded swiftly, thereby engaging the armed robbers in a gun battle and arrested Okechukwu Okpo while others escaped from the scene.
According to the statement, preliminary investigations showed that the gang members were responsible for over 25 armed robbery, kidnapping, car-snatching incidents that had happened on Oko-Ufuma-Uga-Amaokpala expressway..
It quoted the suspect as saying that their most recent crime was the attack on a hotel in Ndikelionwu, where a female staff was raped and the gang also made away with three television sets and other items.
The statement noted that efforts were on to arrest other fleeing gang members.
In another development, the statement said police operatives attached to Nneni, in conjunction with the local security, arrested one Chukwubike Anieto from Agulu, Chukwuemerie Ike also from Agulu, Chidera muo from Neni and Chukwuma Isreal all residing at umuezeani village Akwaeze.
He explained that the operatives recovered one berreta pistol, three motorcycles, one axe, three matchets, one police belt, one generator, thirteen different brands of phones and other incriminating items from them.
According to the statement, on interrogation, the police operatives found out that the gang attacked a police constable, dispossessed him of his personal belonging ong Umukabia Okofia village, Neni road.
He pointed out that the gang members were recently caught in the act when they attempted to rob a lady of her belonging at Okofia village, Neni.
The statement said the Commissioner of Police in the State, Mr. Echeng Echeng, while charging the operatives to sustain the tempo on weeding out the criminal elements in the state to enhance public safety and peace, assured members of the public that the confidence reposed in the police would not be taken for granted.
It stressed that all suspects would be arraigned in court after the conclusion of the investigations.
EDITED BY CHUKWUBUIKE MADU
