Ben Ezechime, Enugu
The Nigeria Police Command, Enugu State, says it has arrested 17 suspects including a native doctor for different offences in various parts of the state.
This was contained in it’s bulletin of Tuesday November 29th, 2022, signed by Mr Daniel Ndukwe, (DSP), the Command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO).
According to him: “Police Operatives of Enugu State Command have arrested a total of seventeen (17) criminal suspects, including one (1) female, for the offences of conspiracy, murder, armed robbery, truck snatching, abduction and unlawful possession of firearm.
“Amongst the suspects is a native doctor that shot and murdered his client, while testing the gunshot protection charm he prepared for him.
The arrests led to the recovery of two (2) firearms, one (1) live cartridge, three (3) mock guns, a Sino Truck loaded with seven hundred and eighty-nine (789) bags of cement, mobile phones, ATM Cards, pieces of wrappers, clothes and other incriminating exhibits. Below are descriptions of the cases,” he said.
Ndukwe added that, acting on credible information, Police Operatives serving in 9th Mile Police Division of the Command, on 24/11/2022 at about 3.20pm, arrested six (6) male suspects in a building along Nsukka/Makurdi Highway, 9th Mile in Udi Local Government Area.
“And recovered in their unlawful possession, one (1) locally-fabricated double-barreled pistol with one (1) live cartridge, ” he said.
According to the police, the suspects include, Mr Anigbo Stephen (23), Mr Iyere Promise (28), Mr Charles Onoh (24), Mr Obinna Joseph (19), Mr Charles Obilor (25), and Mr Ede Chibuike (24).
Ndukwe further stated that, ongoing investigation into the case at the Anti-Robbery Section of the State CID Enugu, has revealed that the sextet, three of whom are linked to a similar case earlier reported, were perfecting plans to commit felonious crimes before they were apprehended.
“In a different development, on 16/11/2022 at about 11.pm, Police Operatives serving in Isi-Uzo Police Division of the Command, arrested Mr Odoh Emmanuel (male and a native doctor) aged 23, of Umuaram Village in Ikem community of Isi-Uzo LGA, for shooting and murdering his adult male client, one Mr Onunze Benedict, of Eha-Amufu community in the same LGA.
“Preliminary investigation reveals that the suspect confessed to having used a locally-fabricated single-barreled gun to shoot and murder the said victim in his shrine at the mentioned location, while testing the gunshot protection charm he had prepared for him.
“The gun has been recovered, while further investigation is ongoing at the Homicide Section of the State CID Enugu.
“In another development, the following male suspects: Mr Everest Ayokalam (48), Mr Anayo Akakem (33), Mr Iwuanyanwu Kelechi (32), Mr Uchenna Iwuoha (a.k.a “Uchewinde”) (47), and Mr Gospel Chimankpa Nnorom (32), all of Imo State, involved in the case of conspiracy, armed robbery, abduction and attempted murder, have been arraigned in court and remanded accordingly, ” he said.
The PPRO said they were arrested at Ikeduru in Imo State on 12/11/2022, through the concerted efforts of Police Operatives serving in Isi-Uzo Police Division of the Command and their counterpart in Imo State Command, after acting on credible information/intelligence.
He said that, the suspects and others at large, armed with machetes and other weapons, had on 09/11/2022 at about 3.am, abducted at Umuhu in Isi-Uzo LGA (a border community between Enugu and Ebonyi States), the driver and conductor of a Sino Truck, said to be loaded with 900 bags of cement and en-route Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.
“They took them to the forest, beat up and tied them to a tree, and thereafter made away with the truck and bags of cement therein.
“The suspects confessed to the crime, while the truck was recovered alongside 789 bags of the cement from the warehouse of Everest Ayokalam (the receiver of the robbed exhibits),” Ndukwe said.
The command also reported that, on 05/11/2022 at about 4.am, a combined team of Police Operatives drawn from Awkunanaw Police Division, Operation Restore Peace and Safer Highway Patrol, with assistance from Neigbourhood Watch Group, arrested one, Mr Kasie Ani (male) (25), Mr Tochukwu Igwe (male) (25), Mr Felix Maduakonam (male) (24), Mr Chidera Okoye (male) (21), and Miss Jennifer Nwafor (female) (17).
“Their arrest is sequel to the Team’s swift response to a distress call alleging that the suspects blocked the road at the Gariki axis of Enugu/Port-Harcourt Expressway and were robbing travelers.
“The four (4) male suspects were consequently arrested and the victims rescued, while the female suspect was arrested thereafter, for harbouring one of the male suspects.
“Exhibits recovered from the suspects includes: three (3) mock guns that they used in the criminal operation, twenty one (21) pieces of wrappers, clothes, phones, ATM cards and other valuables belonging to their victims,” the police said.
He said that the police would arraign all the suspects yet-to-be arraigned once investigations are concluded.
“Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, CP Ahmed Ammani, fdc, has urged the personnel to remain focused on the fight to flush unrepentant criminal elements out of the State, while soliciting the continued support and cooperation of citizens of the State,” he said.
