Police arrest 9 robbery suspects, recover weapons in Enugu

The Police Command in Enugu state says it has arrested nine armed robbery suspects in the state within a period of one month. The command also recovered an AK 47 rifle, two locally-made double barrel guns and two locally-made pistols as well as two live cartridges.

Parading the suspects on Friday in Enugu, the state Commissioner of Police, Sulaiman Balarabe, said that the feat was achieved through effective collaboration and partnership with sister security agencies and other relevant stakeholders.

Balarabe noted that the command’s fight against crime was further boosted by the launch of operation `Puff Adder,’ adding that it was meant to further provide solution to topical security challenge such as kidnapping and other violent crimes.

In the period under review, the commissioner said that on April 26, operatives of the command arrested four persons who had been terrorizing the Ugwogo and Ibeagwa Nike axis of the state.

“The suspects, Chibuoke Charles, 25; Okwudili Ilochi, 24; Michael Chigozie, 23; and Chibueze Chinecherem, 26, were arrested at about 6 a.m. with one single barrel locally made revolver pistol,’’ he said.

The commissioner added by 9 a.m. on April 17, Eze Emmanuel, 25, a final year nursing student was arrested for unlawful possession of firearms, which included one locally made double barrel short gun and two live cartridges.

“Again, Ezeugwu Brendan, 25, was arrested on April 15 for unlawful possession of one locally made six rounds revolver pistol. Also, on March 10, Okechukwu Egbuaba, an ex-convict with three other cohorts at large, attacked a police officer returning from election duty from Ebonyi state and dispossessed him of an AK47.

“The suspect, Egbuaba, was later arrested and the AK47 recovered from him on April 4,’’ he said. The commissioner also noted that the command anti-cultism unit arrested Chukwuemeka Ani, 21, and recovered one locally made double barrel pistol.

“Through intelligence report, it was gathered that Ani had earlier robbed one Benard Ugwu on February 9 at Abakpa Nike and escaped. But, our operatives tracked him down,’’ he added.