The Anambra Police Command, has paraded over 20 suspects for their involvement in various crimes in the state.
CP Echeng Echeng in a press conference made available to newsmen on Friday, said the suspects were involved in murder, kidnapping, car snatching, drug peddling, vandalism, among others.
The commissioner of police said, arms, vehicles, drugs, and other items were recovered from the suspects.
The statement reads:
You are all welcome to command press briefing, where we keep you abreast on some of the achievements recorded from time to time.
Today being 18th November, 2022, I am parading before you suspects arrested in various places for various offences and exhibits recovered as well from various crimes committed by these suspects.
Gentlemen of the press, on 12/11/2022, a Venza jeep with Reg No. KRD 344 BT Lagos was intercepted fleeing the scene where they attacked Army patrol officers and killed one of them at Isuiofia in Aguata L.G.A. During the gunfire, four ESN/IPOB militants were neutralized and two walkie talkies were recovered in the vehicle.
It may interest you to know that the Venza jeep was earlier reported snatched at gun point on 20th October, 2022 in Igbo-Ukwu Area. The owner of the vehicle is around to narrate her ordeal.
These criminals, snatch vehicles at gun points and use the vehicles to perpetrate their act of attack on security personnel within and without Anambra state.
Furthermore, on 5th November, 2022 at about 0430hrs through actionable intelligence Police operatives attached to Ogidi Division stormed the house of suspected kidnapper one Nwozor Chukwuka ‘m’, aged 38yrs old and arrested him. Consequent upon interrogation, suspect confessed to the offence of Kidnapping, Armed Robbery and car snatching. He also disclosed his other gang members to include one Ifeanyi Mgboma ‘m’ of Nteje but resides at Umuoji in Idemili North L.G.A of Anambra State. The arrested suspect then took detectives to Ifeanyi Mbgoma’s house at Umuoji, where three stolen vehicles were kept and recovered. The recovered vehicles are; one Avalon car dark-ash in colour without registration number, Lexus 330 SUV without registration number, also dark-ash in colour and Toyota corolla dark-ash in colour without registration number. However, Ifeanyi Mgboma is still at large effort is on top gear to bring him to justice.
Further to the above, Detectives were led by Nwozor Chukwube to one Ejiofor Anene’s workshop at Awkuzu in Oyi LGA of Anambra State, where stolen cars are normally kept for repairs and repainting, prior to their being sold to unsuspecting members of the public. Other vehicles recovered at the said workshop include; one Toyota corolla, golden colour without registration number, one Honda Pilot, black in colour without registration number. Other items recovered are five different plate numbers, three GSM phones belonging to their victims. Three other suspects, namely; Pius Okonkwo ‘m’, aged 40yrs, Amaechi Ezedo ‘m’ aged 55yrs and Umoke Charles ‘m’ aged 25yrs all of Nteje in Oyi LGA of Anambra State. The aforesaid three suspects are painters who specialize in repainting stolen vehicles, thereby changing their looks before they are sold.
Similarly, on 7th November, 2022 at about 0752hrs one Mr. Ofoegbu Bernard ‘m’ of Nkwelle Ezunaka of Oyi LGA of Anambra State reported that on 6th November, 2022 at about 1930hrs while driving his Toyota Corolla car with Reg No. ABJ 541 DU, ash in colour along Onitsha/Enugu express road by Nkpor down flyover, armed men numbering about six double crossed him and made away with his vehicle, GSM phones, Diamond Bank ATM card and his other belongings. The same date at about 1430hrs through Data analysis, tracking and intelligence, the vehicle was tracked down to a Hotel in Awada Area and two suspects were arrested. The two suspects are; Success Asiegbu ‘m’, aged 26yrs of Okpanam road, Asaba, Chiemerie Okeke ‘m’, 28yrs of No. 6 Oga street Coker Asaba both in Delta state. The two suspects upon interrogation confessed to the crimes of armed robbery, Kidnapping and car snatching. The vehicle in question was recovered to the station together with the Diamond Bank ATM card belonging to the victim which was recovered from one of the suspects. Consequent upon further rigorous interrogation, one of the suspects opened up and led detectives to Omogba Phase II where one Toyota Camry 2.4 model was also recovered.
On the strength of further interrogation on 10th November, 2022 at about 0415hrs, one of the principal suspects, Emeka Okeke ‘m’ aged 28yrs, alias Akpa was arrested at Mgbachu village Nkpor. Suspect confessed to the crime and his confession led to the arrest of one Nzube Ikezue ‘m’, aged 31yrs of Akuzor village, Nkpor who was arrested as one of the receivers of stolen vehicles. The aforesaid receiver led detectives to Asaba in Delta State and one Toyota Corolla saloon car, light-green in colour without registration number was recovered and one painter, Habib Adedigba who was in possession of the stolen vehicle was arrested for further interrogation. It is worthy of note to put on record that one of the suspects, Success Asiegbu ‘m’ confessed to have used the ATM card of one of the victims to withdraw the sum of one hundred and fifty thousand naira having compelled the victim to disclose his PIN number. The owner of one of the recovered Toyota corolla cars by name Anthony Uchenna Okafor ‘m’ aged 32yrs of Umueze village Umunachi was killed by the assailants on 30th October, 2022 at about 2000hrs while returning home from Nkpor.
Gentlemen of the press, on another development, the police on 28th September, 2022 at about 0200hrs one Mrs. Theresa Okeke ‘f’ aged 54yrs, an Accountant with National Population Commission, Awka was gruesomely murdered in her residence at No. 4 Umuziocha, Awka. Immediately the case was reported, her step son, Ekenedilichukwu Okeke ‘m’, aged 20yrs who slept in the same house with the deceased was arrested for interrogation. He claimed that armed robbers stormed their residence and killed his step mother. However, after an intelligence based interrogation, he eventually confessed to the crime and named his accomplices.
Detectives from State CID Awka swiftly mobilized in search of the accomplices which led to the arrest of three additional suspects, namely; Peter Jideofor ‘m’ a.k.a Rider, aged 23yrs, Chukwuemeka Christopher ‘m’ aged 29yrs and Chisom Emmanuel Dike ‘m’ 22yrs. They have all confessed to the crime and disclosed that it was the deceased’s step son, Ekenedilichukwu Okeke ‘m’ who contracted them to come and kill the deceased to enable them transfer the sum of one million naira from her account, having known her phone password. The suspects will soon be charged to court.
Also, on 28th September, 2022 a 2-man gang of armed robbers who specialize in snatching shuttle buses around Ifite-Awka. They pretended to be passengers and boarded a shuttle bus belonging and driven by an INEC Staff, Mr. Osita Duruoha ‘m’ 43yrs. The duo boarded the shuttle bus at Ifite on the pretence that they were going to Isu-Anaocha on an agreed fare of three thousand naira. On getting to Urum/Isu-anaocha road which is an Isolated area the duo ordered the driver to stop and one of the suspects, Chinedu Malachi who was seated behind the driver used a rope to strangulate the driver from behind. Thereafter dumped the corpse of the deceased in a nearby bush and drove the shuttle bus to Enugu where they wanted to sell it. Detectives from State CID were able to arrest the suspects in Enugu and the deceased shuttle bus recovered. The suspects namely; Nwobodo Samuel Obumneme ‘m’ aged 26yrs, Malachi Chinedu Uzorchukwu ‘m’ 28yrs and Ifecchinachi Ogechukwu ‘m’, aged 28yrs have since confessed to the crime and will soon be charged to court.
In another development, on 7th September, 2022, Police and National drug law and enforcement agency NDLEA operatives while on patrol intercepted one Godwin Nwode living at Obsoi Street Fegge Onitsha, search was conducted in his J5 bus, some quantities of drugs were found, also pump action guns, one double gun, 25 live cartridges, 13 gun bags and 3 cartridges bags were recovered. The suspect confessed to the crime and has made useful statements that is helping the police in the ongoing investigation, while the suspect has been charged to court and presently on remand at a correctional center in Anambra State.
VANDALIZATION:
The command in collaboration with vigilante groups of the state were able to arrest four suspects for vandalizing and stealing of EEDC equipment from Nsugbe Town and Nza village Ozubulu Areas respectively.
The suspected vandals conspired among themselves and vandalized the EEDC equipment in these areas and stole them to sell at a giveaway police. They were arrested with same quantity of the vandalized cable wires which are show-case for you to see. The incidents happened on 12th November, 2022 and 28th October, 2022 respectively.
To this note, I want to emphasize to all criminals to vacate the space of Anambra State or meet their waterlow. The command is fully prepared to deal decisively with any recalcitrant criminal in the state.
However, law abiding citizens should continue to go about their lawful businesses and give prompt information about criminal activities within their domain to the law enforcement agencies for our partners in progress; the journalist I say thank you for your continuation support.
God bless Ndi Anambra.
