The Abuja Command of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has arrested 20 armed robbery suspects, three cattle rustlers and nine car thieves this month alone. This is in addition to the recovery of 12 stolen cars, 201 cows, six different types of guns, 11 ammunitions and cash.

Commissioner of Police, Mr. Wilson Inalegwu told PRNigeria at the weekend that in addition to these, one Mary Esiyen was arrested for impersonating a female police officer and some police uniforms were recovered from her.

Giving a breakdown of the command’s activities in the first two weeks of this month, Inalegwu said one Donald Ugashi and two others were arrested on the 9th by operatives of Special Anti Robbery Squad based on a tip-off at Gwarimpa and recovered one English pistol, three 9mm live ammunition and one locally made pistol from them.

Two armed suspects were arrested at Kubwa after injuring a commercial motorcyclist in a bid to rob him of his motorcycle, he said.

Inalegwu disclosed that on the 5th, one Akper Donald of Zone 7, Lugbe, and Moses David were arrested during a robbery operation in an estate in Lugbe by men of the Lugbe Division and a Barreta pistol was recovered from them.

“The case will be charged to court once the investigations are concluded,” Inalegwu explained.

He said that on the second, “at about 06:30hrs, acting on information that a suspected armed robber in possession of a locally made pistol was terrorising innocent citizens at Kado Biko, officers at Gwarinpa Division rushed to the scene where the suspect was arrested with the exhibits.”

The CP gave the name of the suspect as Godwin Ngashi, disclosing that the pistol and two cartridges of ammunition were recovered from him.

He also disclosed that Fabian John and Faruk Ibrahim residents of Gwagwalada and Giri Junction respectively were arrested by SARS operatives who recovered one locally made Barreta pistol with six rounds of live ammunition from them.

The commissioner further disclosed that at about 09:30hrs on the 8th, Mabushi policemen intercepted and arrested 10 armed -robbers who specialised in breaking into houses.

According to him, “The armed robbers who were 16 in number invaded Crown Roofing Warehouse located at Jahi District, Mabushi, beat and tied up the security men on duty, inflicted machete cut on them and held them hostage before executing their criminal mission of loading 4,860 square metres of coated roofing tiles into a waiting trailer.

“Cutlasses, house breaking implements, 16 trailer tyres loaded with roofing sheets were recovered from the suspects at the scene. Efforts are on to apprehend the remaining fleeing suspects and they will be arraigned in court on completion of investigations.”

On cattle rusting, Inalegwu said following a report on March 1 that over 200 cows were rustled from Bwari by an eight armed Fulani bandits, police rescue team of Bwari Division swung into action that led to a gun duel between them and the bandits.

“While 201 of the rustled cows were recovered, the bandits recognising the superior fight put forth by the police rescue team fled the scene with bullet wounds. Efforts are been intensified to arrest the fleeing bandits,” he said.

Inalegwu said that in a related incident, a notorious syndicate of cattle rustlers demanding ransom of between N150,000 and N300,000 payment from Fulani Ruga as protection fees was busted during one operation.

He disclosed that Mamuda Danma, Kadarko Hama and one Dala were arrested in Bassa village by airport, adding that the suspects have made useful statements to the police.

The police commissioner said that some of the vehicles recovered include Toyota Corolla car with registration number GWA 110 AM, Toyota Carina E car with registration number HJ 45 AAA red colour; a grey Toyota Highlander SUV registration number AAA 637 DG; Toyota Carina E car registration HJ 45 AAA red colour; and Mazda 323 car with registration number BWR 820 XD.

•Photo shows FCT Abuja Commissioner of Police, Mr. Wilson Inalegwu.

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