By SUNDAY BASSEY

The Police Command in Akwa Ibom has confirmed the killing of six suspected armed robbers that specialised in car snatching in Akwa Ibom and Cross River states.

The State Commissioner of Police (CP), Amiengheme Andrew, disclosed this while displaying the remains of the suspects in a police Hilux van, at Ikot Akpan-Abia in Uyo on Friday.

He said that the police, acting on credible intelligence, killed the six suspected armed robbers who were operating along Itu/Calabar highway.

“Today, at about 5.30am, acting on a credible intelligence that a six man armed robbery gang whose speciality is car snatching in Akwa Ibom and Cross River were operating along Itu-Calabar highway.

“On receipt of the intel, SARS operatives proceeded to the scene, on sighting the Police Hilux van, the hoodlums opened fire on the operatives. A gun battle ensued and the six armed robbers sustained gunshot wounds.

“They were taken to the Police hospital in Uyo for treatment but they were confirmed dead by the Doctor,” he said.

Andrew, who resumed duty a forthnight ago as the state CP, explained that the robbers were on their way to Abia to sell the car they had earlier snatched from a Calabar based medical doctor.

He said that the deceased had already contacted a buyer for the stolen Toyota Camry car, registered LSR 690 BM, and an unregistered motorcycle.

Andrew said items recovered from them included three locally made pistols, ten live cartridges, four expended cartridges, one pump action gun, one unregistered motorcycle, military camouflage cap and a Toyota Camry belonging to the medical doctor.

Others paraded by the Police were an alleged serial rapist and blackmailer, a man suspected of killing his 11-year-old step son, five cultists and six armed robbery suspects.

Andrew warned hoodlums engaged in cultism, armed robbery, rape and other vices to desist forthwith or leave the state, as the command had no room for tolerance of any form of crime and criminality.

Also speaking, Dr Arinze Obinna, a physiotherapist at the General Hospital, Calabar and owner of the stolen car, said the car was snatched from him at gun point on his way home. (NAN)

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