Richard Ginika Izuora
The Anambra State Police Command has recovered one pump action rifle allegedly stolen from a Police Station during the #EndSARS protests in the state.
This was disclosed by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, CSP Haruna Mohammed at the weekend in Awka.
Mohammed, in a statement said that the rifle was recovered from a 20-year-old suspect who was arrested on February 21 at about 11:30am., in collaboration with local vigilance group. He was arrested at Nkwelle Ezunaka, near Onitsha, following an intelligence report.
Mohammed said that six other armed robbery suspects were arrested in separate operations; where firearms and ammunitions were equally recovered from them.
He said a 25-year-old man, who was arrested for allegedly stealing a Toyota Corolla 2005 model in Abuja; had been handed over to the FCT Police Command for further investigation. Further, the Police PRO stated that two other suspects, both of 3-3 area near Onitsha; were also arrested on February 21, inside a residential apartment in Okija.
Mohammed said two pump action rifles and 11 cartridges, which they could not give satisfactory account of, were recovered from them.
He said another 22-year-old suspect, of Ochuche village, Umuodo in Ogbaru Local Government area; was arrested with a cut-to-size locally- made double barrel gun on Feb. 22.
“On February 23, Puff Adder operatives, in conjunction with a patrol team attached to Otoucha Division, responded to a distress call around Igbariam and arrested a 29-year-old suspect. The suspect allegedly robbed a lady of her handset and other valuables at gunpoint.
“He voluntarily confessed and exhibits recovered from his possession included three phones; one pump action rifle, one cartridge and one unregistered motorcycle used in perpetrating the act,” Mohammed said.
In addition, he revealed that a Police patrol team arrested a suspect on February 26, at about 12:30am; following an intelligence report and recovered from him one English-made pistol and a magazine.
According to Mohammed, eight suspected cultists were also arrested by operatives attached to the command’s Special Anti-Cult Unit. The suspects were arrested during a secret cult initiation on February 24 and February 26.
He said that the suspects were members of Payton Confraternity.
The Police spokesman revealed the arrest of three other suspects; who, he said, voluntarily confessed to be members of Vikings Confraternity. He said that exhibits recovered from them included one axe and a beret.
According to him, all cases are under investigation, after which the suspects will be charged to court.