By Ifeoma Ejiofor
Operatives of the Anambra State Police Command have aressted a total of thirty two suspected criminals who are alleged to be cultists and touts
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the command, Tochukwu Ikenga (DSP) revealed this in a press release made available to journalists on Sunday.
The PPRO said that operatives recovered one berreta pistol, one magnum pump action and ammunition.
Ikenga said that the operatives in the command acting on a credible information, at about 4:30am on 30/3/2022, arrested forty three year old Ozo Olie Ifeanyi in his residence at Odoje village, Onitsha and recovered one locally fabricated single barrel pistol and one live ammunition concealed in a bag.
Investigation according to revealed that the suspect is a member of Black Axe Cult and specialize in robbing unsuspecting members of the public of their valuables, he noted that the suspect has made useful statement that will lead to the arrest of other members of the criminal gang.
Similarly, forty nine year old Ifeanyi Nwobu of Enuorji Village, Enugu Ukwu was arrested at about 9pm on 30/3/2022 and one Magnum pump action gun was recovered from him, Ikenga said the suspect has made useful statement that could unravel the source of the arm.
“In another development, the Command Operatives arrested 30 suspects for flouting the State Government’s ban on touting, extortion and illegal revenue collection in the State. The thirty arrested suspects, namely: ifeatu onuebube ‘M’ aged 19years, Akpa Ikechukwu ‘M’ aged 44years, Linus Ekene ‘M’ aged 23years, Nwede Chinedu ‘M’ aged 25years, Nwigwe Osinachi ‘M’ aged 28years, Nas Emeka ‘M’ aged 38years, Uduak Linus ‘M’ aged 30years, Obi Onyebuchi ‘M’ 32years, Ayo Omah ‘M’ aged 29years, Igwe Chukwuebuka ‘M’ 22years, Nweke Abuchi ‘M’ 16years, Anthony Chidi ‘M’ 18years Onyebuchi Ndubuisi ‘M’ 28years, Onyekwelu Ifechukwu ‘M’ 20years, Nwagha Nzube ‘M’ 17years, Anamabu Somto ‘M’ aged 17years, Duru Chigozie ‘M’ aged 19years, Onwuakpa Chukwudi ‘M’ aged 20years, Nworie Chimaram ‘M’ aged 19years, Orji Onyebuchi ‘M’ aged 34years, Nnamani Chukwuebuka ‘M’ aged 17years, Ifeanyi Chinedu ‘M’ aged 17years, Igwe Ifeanyi ‘M’ aged 18years, Eze Andrew ‘M’ aged 19years Nwafor Bernard ‘M’ aged 20years, Ifeanyi Junior ‘M’ aged 17years, Nweze Obinna ‘M’ aged 22years, Amadi Obinna ‘M’ aged 21years, Emmanuel Charles ‘M’ aged 18years, Agala Timothy ‘M’ aged 20years were arrested on 6/4/2022 along Tarzan Junction, Owerri road, upper iweaka road, Ochanja junction, Awada road, head bridge, kara Junction, Atani road, respectively in Onitsha while touting and extorting money from motorists and other members of the public.” Ikenga revealed.
Meanwhile, the Anambra State Commissioner of Police, Echeng Echeng(CP) has restated the Command’s resolve to stamp out violent crimes, extortion and other forms of crime and criminality in the state.
The CP assured the general public especially Ndi Anambra that the confidence reposed in the police on protection of lives and properties, maintenance of law and order will never be taken for granted.
He also called for increased information flow from the public to the police.