Operatives of the Anambra State Police Command have shot dead a suspected female armed robber and four others in a gun duel.
The state Commissioner of Police, Hosea Karma who disclosed this in Awka described the killing of the robbers as a major breakthrough for the command.
He said high profile crimes such as armed robbery and kidnapping were rearing their ugly heads again before
the operatives confronted the bandits in a gun battle that lasted for hours. The state Police Public Relation
Officer (PPRO), Okechukwu Ali, a Deputy Superintendent while showing the bodies of the slain robbers to journalists, said the success story of the smashing of the terror gang by the command started on July 18, 2016 when the Delta State police command arrested and handed over to the state Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS), a most wanted armed robber, a k a Obosima.
“On interrogation, the robbery kingpin confessed to series of armed robbery and car snatching activities within and outside the state.
“He opted to lead the operatives to their operational base in Asaba, for possible arrest of other members and recovery of their weapons,” he said.
Ali disclosed that on getting to Nnebisi Road in Asaba, the police encountered the gang who opened fire on them. In the process, one Chuma Anyichie and an unidentified female gang member were arrested with severe bullet injuries but died at the scene. Also arrested at the scene with bullet injuries was one Blessing Benson from Akwa Ibom, who told reporters that she was a Facebook lover to Emeka, one of the suspects and that they had chatted for about three months online before he invited her to visit him.
She disclosed that Emeka picked her when she alighted from the vehicle at Upper Iweka and was taking her to a hotel in Asaba before they were intercepted by the police and the gun battle ensued.
The PPRO said that on the same day, the SARS operatives while on patrol along Amawbia/ Nibo road ran into a five-man gang, robbing unsuspecting victims of their cash and valuables.
“On sighting the operatives, the bandits opened fire in a bid to escape. They were given hot chase and three were arrested with bullet injuries. They died before medical attention could be administered”.
Items recovered from the gangs were one Ak47 rifle, two Ak47 magazines, 24 rounds of live ammunitions, one pump action gun, five locally made guns, one machete, five expended cartridges, one Toyota 4 runner Sportg Utility Vehicle (SUV), one pathfinder Nissan SUV and one Toyota Sienna without registration number, assorted handsets and weeds suspected to be marijuana.
The spokesman praised the gallantry of the SARS operatives led by CSP Benjamin Abang and noted that the robbery kingpin and one of the operatives that sustained injuries were receiving treatment in hospital while efforts are ongoing to arrest the fleeing gang members. (Daily Sun)
