Police Nab 74 Robbery Suspects

Rivers State Police command says it has arrested 74 armed robbery suspects for various crimes committed across the state.

Among the suspects paraded before newsmen, was one Chinwendu Udensi, a female student of Imo State University who stage managed her alleged kidnap and collaborated with her abductors and demanded the sum of N6 million ransom from her elder brother.

The State Commissioner of Police, Francis Mobolaji Odesanya, disclosed this while parading the suspects during a press briefing held at the State Police Command headquarters, Moscow Road, in Port Harcourt, yesterday.

Odesanya while showcasing the achievements of the command, said the police under his watch would not rest on their oars but would continue to do more within their constitutional mandate to drastically reduce crime in the state.

According to him, the aggressive onslaught against crime and criminals would be sustained until crime and criminality were brought to a tolerable level in the state.

He disclosed that directive has been given to Area Commanders, Divisional police Officers (DPOs), and heads of tactical units to redouble their efforts in crime fighting and embark on massive raids of suspected hideouts and black spots across their jurisdictions.

The State Police boss solicited for more partnerships between the Police and members of the public in the on-going war against crime, especially in the area of information sharing.

He further told journalists that on October 29, at about 1700hrs, operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad in a joint operation with other tactical units, raided a criminal hide out at Rukpokwu axis and arrested five suspected criminals.

He listed their names as Onyekachi Igwe, ThankGod Eliozu, Batunde Popoola, Uzoma Prince and Alloy Igwe, adding that the suspects under interrogation have confessed being involved in series of car snatching in Port Harcourt, and the neighbouring states.

Exhibits recovered from them include an ash colour Toyota Camry Saloon Car with Reg. No. BB854 Ugh, adding investigations were on as to recover more stolen cars from the gang.

The breakdown of the achievements indicated that kidnappers arrested were 10, armed robbers, 28, cultists 11, kidnappers prosecuted, 28, while two armed robbers were fatally wounded.

Also recovered include vehicles, 7, arms, 8, magazines 2 as well as large quantities of weed suspected to be Indian hemp.