Police arrest four suspects for armed robbery, others in Enugu, Nigeria

The Enugu State Command of the Nigerian Police Force on Saturday said it has arrested four suspected criminals in the state.

It said that the suspects who were arrested across the state between May 1 and May 6, 2021, were nabbed for offences such as armed robbery, possession of unlawful firearms, car snatching, conspiracy, and impersonation.

The state Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Aliyu, in a statement through the Command Spokesman, ASP Daniel Ndukwe, gave the names of the suspects as Barnabas Anton, 20; Christopher Edwin Agaba, 26; Ugwu Chinwendu Marvelous, 23 and Ugo Nweke, 34.

Aliyu said that items recovered from the suspects include “four firearms, 15 live and one expended cartridges, three snatched/stolen vehicles, sixteen phones of different makes and some SIM cards, four power banks, Military wears, two daggers, some quantities of weeds suspected to be Indian Hemp and other incriminating items.”

The statement partly read, “Operatives of the Command have carried out swift operations that led to the successful arrest of four (4) male suspects involved in different offences and recovery of four firearms, fifteen live and one (1) expended cartridges among others."

“The operations, which were carried out by operatives attached to Enugu Area Command, Awkunanaw and 9th Mile Police Divisions of the Command.

“On 06/05/2021 at about 1945hrs, Police Operatives attached to Awkunanaw Police Division recovered one (1) locally-made double-barreled pistol with two (2) live cartridges and a green-coloured Volkswagen Sharon Vehicle, said to have been snatched from its driver on 27/04/2021 at 2000hrs 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 L.G.A., where they were engaged in a gun duel by them. However, the 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."

“Similarly, Operatives attached to 9th Mile Police Division on 04/05/2021 at about 2041hrs arrested one *Barnabas Anton aged 20*, of Ugwuto-Nsude in Udi LGA. His arrest was sequel to the receipt of an intelligence report linking him to an armed robbery gang that snatched a Toyota Camry Car from its owner same date at about 2000hrs."

"The armed robbers abandoned the vehicle and escaped, following intense pressure mounted by the Operatives to apprehend them, leaving behind one (1) cut-to-size locally-made revolver gun, two (2) locally-made pistols with thirteen (13) live and one (1) expended cartridges*. Discreet investigation to arrest fleeing members of the gang has commenced.”

“In another development, Operatives attached to Enugu Area Command on 03/05/2021 at about 0530hrs, arrested one Christopher Edwin Agaba aged 26, of CBQ 17, 82 Division Barracks, Enugu and Ugwu Chinwendu Marvelous aged 23, of No. 16 Thinker’s Corner Road, Abakpa-Nike, Enugu; and recovered sixteen (16) mobile phones of different makes with some SIM cards, one (1) stabilizer, four (4) power banks, Nigerian Army wears and insignias, all of which they could not account for, and some quantity of weeds suspected to be Indian Hemp."

"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.”

The Commissioner, however, vowed that he would do everything necessary and within the confines of the law to rid the state of unrepentant criminal elements.