Police Sergeant, One Other Nabbed In PH Robbery

The Rivers State Police Command, yesterday, confirmed the arrest of one of its officers, Sergeant Ibrahim Odege, for alleged involvement in armed robbery in Port Harcourt.
Odege, attached to the Operations Department of the Rivers Police Command, was caught, last Saturday night along with one Sampson Inomoghe ‘m’ 32 years by security guards and residents of Elekahia Housing Estate, where they reportedly robbed victims at gunpoint.
In a statement in Port Harcourt, yesterday, following the handover of both suspects to the police, the State Command Public Relations Officer, SP Nnamdi Omoni, said the police officer and his civilian partner-in-crime were caught at about 2200hrs.
Omoni said, “The two armed robbers were later identified as Sergeant Ibrahim Odege attached to the Operations Department of the Rivers State Police Command and one Sampson Inomoghe ‘m’ 32 years from Nembe in Bayelsa State but resides at Rumuokwurushi in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.
“The duo were arrested at the scene of the crime with the exhibits, including three different handsets belonging to their victims and one locally made Bareta pistol.
“One of the victims, Mrs Doris Elechi identified them as those that robbed her of her Tecno handset, one of the exhibits recovered. At the station, the suspects confessed to have carried out the robbery attacks, among other revelations.
“Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Joseph Mukan, has condemned the act, and ordered the immediate transfer of the suspects and exhibits to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for investigation.”
Reports had earlier indicated that a suspected armed robber who was among two others arrested by security guards and residents of Elekahia Housing Estate was seen with an identity card of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
It was gathered that the suspects were arrested on Saturday night after successfully robbing two ladies, but could not escape from the estate because of the presence of members of local vigilante group.
Speaking with newsmen, President of Elekahia Progressive Youths, Prince One Aholu, confirmed the arrest by the youths of the area, saying he got the report that the suspects were arrested during a robbery operation in the area by local vigilante team.
Aholu said the security guards alerted police officers from Elekahia Divisional Police Station in Port Harcourt, who responded swiftly, and arrested the suspects.
The youths president also confirmed that one of the suspects was in possession of an NPF identity card and the two suspects were armed.
He commended the police for their quick response, and urged Elekahia youths to remain calm as the matter was being investigated by the police.
Aholu also urged the police to pay more attention to Elekahia ring road and railway axis as the areas have become a den for criminals.
He alleged that many of the criminals use the railway and ring road axis as operational base, and appealed to security agencies to rid the spots of criminality.

By: Susan Serekara-Nwikhana