By CHINONSO ALOZIE, Owerri

The Imo State Police Command has gunned down a suspected leader of an armed robbery gang, popularly known as ‘Bugatti’ in Nsu Community, Ehime Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State.

The State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Micheal Abattam, confirmed this to newsmen in Owerri on Saturday.

Police said it got intelligence from the people of Nsu Community on the location of the hideout of Bugatti and his members, after which they launched an operation to arrest them but Bugatti and his men opened fire on the police and in the process, Bugatti fell to the superior firepower of the police.

However, the Police said a Revolver Pistol, was recovered from the killed suspect, which was stolen when the Police Area Command in Ehime Mbano Local Government, was attacked by hoodlums during the ENDSARS protests. It noted that Bugatti has been on the wanted list of the Police.

The Police explained, “Following the information received by the vigilante group of Nsu Community, on 20/08/2021 at about 14:20 hours, that one of the notorious leaders of an armed robbery gang and who is in the wanted list of the community, popularly known as Bugatti, whose gang has been terrorising the Nsu Community in Ehime Mbano LGA of Imo State was sighted with two of his members in the community.

“The community’s vigilante group who has been working in synergy with the police immediately alerted the police patrol team within the area and they moved to where the suspest and his gang were hiding in the bush.

“On sighting the security men, they opened fire. And during the gun duel, the gang leader of the group, Bugatti was neutralised and his Revolver Pistol recovered to the station. While the other two suspects escaped with bullet wounds.”

“When the Revolver Pistol was checked, it was discovered that it was one of the police Revolver Pistol that was carted away during the #ENDSARS saga when the Police Area Command Headquarters at Ehime Mbano LGA of Imo State was attacked by hoodlums. Meanwhile, efforts are on to arrest the two suspects who escaped with bullets wounds and other members of the gang presently in hiding.

“The Commissioner of Police, Imo State Command, CP Rabiu Hussaini psc, while commending the good people of Imo State for their undaunting supports to the Command, urged all the communities in the state to form vigilante groups in their areas to work in synergy with the police, like that of the Nsu Community in Ehime Mbano.

"Finally, he assured Imolites of the command’s commitment to ensuring a crime-free state," police said. (Saturday Vanguard)

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