The Enugu State police command has arrested one Ifesinachi Nwankwo aged 24 a dismissed soldier that went AWOL and Raphael Nwaorie aged 27 responsible for various crimes in Nkanu East part the state including the murder of a police officer.
Parading the suspects at the command’s headquarters, the commissioner of police Enugu State, Ahmed Abdurrahman said the suspects were arrested on the 26th and 30th July at Ugbawka, Nkanu East LGA of Enugu State and Onueke, Izza South LGA of Ebonyi state, respectively.
The suspects and others at large were responsible for the murder of Ominyi Chukwu, an assistant Supretendant of police after they attacked Ozalla Division of the command at Agro-Allied Product Filling station along Obe/Agbani Road, Nkanu West LGA of Enugu State.
After the attack, they carted away two Assault rifles and injured an inspector of police, Princewill Ebiriem.
The ruthless gang is also responsible for the gruesome murder of the chief security officer of Amodu-Awkunanaw community, Onyebuchi Aninwagu on the 19th of July, 2020. They also made away with his pump action gun.
The two suspects that reside at Amodudu and Onuorie in Ugbawka, Nkanu East LGA of Enugu State were also responsible for the attack of one Alhaji Ibrahim Yaro at Grace of God Junction, Isiaji Rd. Okpebe-Amodu, Nkanu East LGA.
They shot him on the leg and made away with his unregistered Bajaj motorcycle.
Speaking to newsmen after their parade, the dismissed soldier said he left the military after he got frustrated fighting Boko Haram terrorists at Damboa, Borno State.
He said he decided to go AWOL in 2018 when many of his colleagues were killed by the terrorists.
He joined the military in 2017 and was deployed to fight the insurgents.
Items recovered from them include;
- One AK47 rifle with breech number: 07027263, belonging to the police officer they killed
- Two pump action guns
- One double barrel locally made pistol
- Fifteen 5.56mm live ammunitions
- Thirty six live cartridges and
- Twelve expended cartridges.
The police said investigations are still on as the command has scaled up manhunt for the other members of the gang.
