The Ebonyi State Police Command has paraded 35 crime suspects who were arrested in connection with allegations of armed robbery, conspiracy, murder, arson and abduction.
The state Commissioner of Police, Aliyu Garba, speaking with allegations while parading the suspects at the Police headquarters in Abakaliki disclosed that several items and dangerous weapons were recovered from them.
He listed the items to include 24 rifles, over 1000 ammunition, five motorcycles, two welding standard machines, three weldings locally/fabricated machines. two generators, two gas cylinders, and seven pipes.
He also revealed that four abducted victims were set free from the suspects.
The police boss said the suspects, most of whom confessed to the crime, were arrested at various locations by men of the command.
He said, “On August 19, 2021, around 8pm, operatives of Operation Restore Peace, deployed to Ikwo division, while on routine patrol duties, intercepted four suspects, namely, Oshinachi Mmaduabuchi (32), Nwabueze Okeh (25), Onyebuchi Okere (31), and Friday Igboji (30), from of the Ikwo Local Government Area.
“The suspects were on motorcycles coming from the Agubia direction and upon searching them, the police recovered from them one AK-47 rifle and one live ammunition.
“On August 20, sequel to credible intelligence at the command’s disposal that a gang of seven armed robbers were terrorising Akahugu Inyimagu community, in the Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, police operatives attached to the Ikwo division, swung into action and with the help of youths from the area, seven suspects were arrested”.
“The suspects include Obinna Uzor, Nwalobu Chikaodili, Nwele Ifeanyi, Nworie Igboji, Nnamdi Imeze, Nwigboji Ogbonna and Omege Lazarus
Two rifles and other weapons were also recovered from them.”
“On the 24th August, 2021 acting on credible information, operatives attached to the Command stormed Ohafia Agba in Ishielu Local Government Area of the State and arrested one UDOKA CHUKWU ‘m’ 34 yrs, Joseph Oroke ‘m’ 45 yrs and Chibuike Chukwuma ‘m’ 20yrs. The suspects are specialists in manufacturing/fabricating and sales of locally made firearms such as AK-47, AK-49 and pistols of different kinds”.
“It would be recalled that in the early hours of 9th August, 2021, in forceful enforcement of illegal sit-at-home order purportedly declared by the proscribed Ingenious People of Biafra/Eastern Security Network (IPOB/ESN), Seven (7) innocent persons who were going about their lawful businesses along Ohaozara/Onicha expressway by Anike village in Onicha LGA were blocked, gruesomely murdered and their vehicles set ablaze by the hoodlums.
On receipt of the information about the unfortunate incident, Operatives of the Command immediately swung into action and engaged the hoodlums in a gun battle, during the gun duel they were fatally wounded while others escaped with bullet wounds.
The 5 of the fleeing suspects were later trailed, arrested and now in our custody. They confessed to being members of the IPOB/ESN who participated in the killing of the said seven persons and burning of their e vehicles including a Truck on the above-stated date”
“On the same vein, on the 25th August, 2021 a case of abduction and child trafficking was reported at Ivo Division against one Ivi Chukwu Chinecherem age 20yrs and Ogbonna Justice age 19 yrs, both of Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State who allegedly abducted and trafficked the undermentioned female teenagers to Ghana for prostitution. Ugochi Ojukwu ‘f’ aged 17yrs, Ogechi Ejiuwa ‘f’ aged 17yrs, Ejiwa Ogbonnaya ‘f’ aged 18yrs, Mesoma John ‘f’ aged 15yrs.
“The police operatives attached to Anti-Human Trafficking of the Command arrested the two suspects in their bid to abduct one Faith Ogbonnaya ‘f’ for the same purpose.
“The suspects admitted to the crime and confessed that they trafficked the children to Ghana as alleged without the consent of the parents. The efforts of the Operatives yielded success in rescuing of the four (4) among the five victims while effort is on top gear to rescue Ejiwa Ogbonnaya,” he stated.