The Police Command in Enugu State says it has arrested nine armed robbery suspects in Enugu State within a period of one month. The command also recovered an AK 47 rifle, two locally-made double barrel guns and two locally-made pistols as well as two live cartridges.

Parading the suspects on Friday in Enugu, the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Sulaiman Balarabe, said that the feat was achieved through effective collaboration and partnership with sister security agencies and other relevant stakeholders. Balarabe noted that the command’s fight against crime was further boosted by the launch of operation `Puff Adder’, adding that it was meant to further provide solution to topical security challenge such as kidnapping and other violent crimes.

In the period under review, the commissioner said that on April 26 operatives of the command arrested four persons who had been terrorising the Ugwogo and Ibeagwa Nike axis of Enugu State. “The suspects: Chibuoke Charles, 25; Okwudili Ilochi, 24; Michael Chigozie, 23; and Chibueze Chinecherem, 26; were arrested at about 6 a.m. with one single barrel locally made revolver pistol,” he said. By 9 a.m. on April 17, Balarabe said that Eze Emmanuel, 25, a final year nursing student, was arrested for unlawful possession of fire arms, which included one locally made double barrel short gun and two live cartridges. “Again, Ezeugwu Brendan, 25, was arrested on April 15 for unlawful possession of one locally made six rounds revolver pistol. “Also on March 10, Okechukwu Egbuaba, an ex-convict, with three other cohorts at large, attacked a police officer returning from an election duty from Ebonyi State and dispossessed him of an AK47. “The suspect, Egbuaba, was later arrested and the AK47 recovered from him on April 4,” he said. The commissioner also noted that the command its Anti-Cultism Unit arrested Chukwuemeka Ani, 21, and recovered one locally made double barrel pistol. “Through intelligence report, it was gathered that Ani had earlier robbed one Benard Ugwu on Feb, 9 at Abakpa Nike and escaped. But our operatives tracked him down,” he said. The commissioner said that the suspects had been helping the command in its investigations; while they would be charged to court after investigations. “We are also striving towards reducing crime to its barest minimum through pro-active measures without losing sight of respect for human rights and rule of law,” he added. (NAN)

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