?Suspect invited through mother

By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Fegge Police Division in Onitsha South Local Government Area of Anambra State, Mr. Monday Ekuase, has stormed a criminal hideout in Shebba/Umuasele area of Onitsha, said to the base of a suspected criminal.

The operation whichh carried out in collaboration with the Divisional Crime Officer 1 and other security agents was ignited by the residents of the area led by their Councillor, Hon. Chidi Ogbuagu, following their visit to the police station appeal to the DPO to assist them in drilling an alleged criminal suspect.

Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, Ogbuagu said: ?As a representative of the people we don?t want criminals in our area. About six of them were asked to leave and they left remaining this one and that is why we are here for you to help us sack the remaining one.

?The suspect has even threatened us and our local vigilante group vowing to kill at least one of us before leaving this place Whenever we want to confront him he will make calls and his accomplishes from other areas will land to assault us.

?We are not save so long as he lives with us and he always tells us that he will deal with us before vacating this place. He keeps late hours and moves around with suspected criminals. He boasts that they own the land and must deal with whoever challenges them.?

On his part, the chairman of the area, Mr. Mbaeli Kingsley, lamented that the suspect gives them sleepless nights and boasts to kill any of them if they continue to disturb him.

It was however gathered that shortly after the Councillor and their team left, that the DPO and his team moved to the hideout and the criminal on seeing them as they were coming, disappeared into thin air.

According to a source who spoke on condition of anonymity, the DPO and his team on arrival to the hideout, asked the mother of the suspect of his whereabouts and she responded that, ?he went to his relation where he is learning a trade and will not come back today.?

The DPO then told the mother to tell him that he is being invited to the station as soon as he comes back, warning that failure to honour the invitation may result in using force to pick him for interrogation.

Mr. Ekuase, urged the residents not to relent in their support to the police assuring that any useful information to the police the informant will be protected.

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