MAY 8, 2023

The Police Command in Enugu State say they arrested three suspects allegedly involved in different crimes within four days in May.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Daniel Ndukwe, announced the arrests in a statement issued on Saturday in Enugu.

Ndukwe said that the command recovered four firearms, 15 live and one expended cartridges, two stolen vehicles, 16 phones of different makes and some SIM cards.

Also recovered are four power-banks, military wears, two daggers, some quantities of weeds suspected to be cannabis and other incriminating items.

The police spokesman said that the feat was achieved by operatives attached to Enugu Area Command, Awkunanaw and 9th Mile Police Divisions.

“On May 6 at about 7.45 p.m., Police operatives attached to Awkunanaw Police Division, recovered one locally-made double-barreled pistol with two live cartridges and a green-coloured Volkswagen Sharon vehicle.

“The said Volkswagen vehicle was snatched from its driver on April 27 at 8.00 p.m. by a gang of armed robbers, who also robbed the passengers of their belongings.

“Acting on intelligence, the operatives trailed the gang to Amagunze in Nkanu East Local Government Area of the state, where they were engaged in a gun duel by them.

“However, criminals who could not withstand the superior firepower of the operatives, escaped into the bush, abandoning the vehicle and firearm.

“Meanwhile, intense discreet investigation to arrest and bring the culprits to book is ongoing,’’ Ndukwe said.

Also, he stated that operatives attached to 9th Mile Police Division, on May 4 at about 8.41 p.m., arrested one suspect (name withheld).

He explained that the arrest was sequel to the receipt of an intelligence report linking the suspect to an armed robbery gang that snatched a Toyota Camry car from its owner on the same date at about 8.00 p.m.

“The armed robbers abandoned the vehicle and escaped, following intense pressure mounted by the operatives to apprehend them, leaving behind one cut-to-size locally-made revolver gun, two locally-made pistols with 13 live and one expended cartridges.

“Discreet investigation to arrest fleeing members of the gang has commenced,’’ he said.

The police spokesman said that in another development, operatives attached to Enugu Area Command, on May 3 at about 5.30 a.m., arrested two middle-age suspects (names withheld).

He said that the operatives recovered 16 mobile phones of different makes with some SIM cards, one stabiliser, four power-banks, Nigerian Army wears and insignias, all of which they could not account for and cannabis.

“The operatives arrested the duo in a location popularly called South Africa, beside 82 Division Army Barracks’ Mammy Market, Abakpa-Nike Enugu, following credible information received about their criminal activities,’’ he said.

Ndukwe said that the suspects would be charged to court on conclusion of their various investigations. (NAN)