POLICE PARADE SUSPECTED KIDNAP KINGPIN, 13 OTHERS IN ABIA

REPORTER: LAWRENCE NWOKEDI

The Police Command Abia State has arrested thirteen suspected criminals said to have been terrorizing residents of the state.

Parading the suspects at the Police headquarters in Umuahia, the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mustapha Bala said that the suspects, comprising twelve men and a woman were arrested at various locations in the state.

Mr. Bala, represented by the Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Geoffrey Oghonna, noted that the Rapid Response Squad of the command through intelligence arrested one Obinna Nnah from Ukwa West Local Government Area for alleged gun running where various firearms were allegedly recovered from the suspects.

He said that the squad also arrested one Bright Chimaobi suspected to a leader of a kidnap gang that had been terrorizing residents of Aba and Umuahia.

He gave the names of other suspected criminals arrested by the command as Friday Uchechukwu, Promise Chigozie and Nmesoma Nwadime, who was alleged to be involved in a scamming business

Other suspects included Friday Amah, Chukwuemeka Okeke, Lucky Agu, Chijoke Chukwu, Francis Uwaoma and Chijioke Chukwu.

The Police boss reiterated the command’s readiness towards ensuring that residents of the state enjoyed the forthcoming yulitide peaceably.

In an interview two of the suspects Nmesoma Nwadike and Chijioke Chukwu who claimed to be members of staff of Isukuato Local Government taskforce denied being involved in any crime.

Items allegedly recovered from the suspects included two locally made pistols, one pump action gun, one English double barrel gun, seventy-six live cartridges, one tricycle, one cutlass, some qauntities of weed suspected to be cannabis, two phones and a substance believed to be charm.

EDITED BY CHUKWUBUIKE MADU