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Not fewer than 26 young male suspects have been nabbed for various offences by the Enugu State Police Command.
The Commissioner of Police, Enugu State Command, CP Abubakar Lawal, as a result, charged operatives of the Command to remain resolute until the state is purged of unrepentant criminal elements.
The arrests of the suspects led to the recovery of one English-made Berretta pistol with one live round of .9mm calibre ammunition, four locally-made pistols with three live cartridges and other incriminating exhibits.
The state spokesperson, ASP Dniel Ndekwe explained that on the 29th May, 2022, about 11pm, a combined team of Police Operatives drawn from Operation Restore Peace (ORP) and Enugu Metro Area Command, while on routine stop/search duty along Abakaiki Road, Enugu; intercepted a commercial bus and arrested one Obinna Owoh, 22, of Ntezi in Ishielu LGA of Ebonyi State.
It was further revealed that two of his cohorts escaped. A Search conducted on him led to the recovery of two locally made pistols with three live cartridges.
Similarly, it was learnt, on the 28th May, 2022 about 5.30pm, Police Operatives serving in the Nsukka Sector of the Command’s Crack Squad arrested one Benedict Nwodo, 29, of Ugwuechara in Nsukka, following a distressed call alleging that he was sighted with a gun along CSO Site in Nsukka.
One English-made Berretta pistol with one live round of .9mm calibre of ammunition were recovered from him.
In a related development, same on the 28th May, 2022 about 4.30am, Police Operatives serving in Anti-Cultism Squad of the Command, acting on credible information, busted a secret cult meeting/initiation process in a forest at Eke in Udi LGA.
In the process, 24 suspects were arrested and two locally made pistols, seven black berets and a white-coloured ten litres can, containing liquid substance suspected to be a mixture of palm wine and Indian hemp used for the initiation were recovered.
CSP Ndukwe reiterated that investigation is presently ongoing. However, it was revealed that the suspects are made up of 14 newly initiated and 10 old members of Apache Tigers (“Two-Two”), which is also known as Black Beret (“BB”) Confraternity.
The suspects include: Eze Lucky Chinemerem, 27, Igwe Chidimma Jonathan aged 22, Ugwu Chiemerie aged 22, Agubata Chidera aged 22, Abraham Onumah aged 28, Abdulraham Suleiman aged 21, Chizoba Atu aged 23, Sunday Victor aged 23, Eneh Chidera aged 28, Asadu Ejike Stephen aged 25, Eze Chibuzor Emmanuel aged 22, Ebuo Tochukwu Victor aged 27 Ogbodo Mohammed aged 32 and Gabriel Ebubechukwu aged 23.
Others are Offia Emeka Emmanuel aged 26, Ajoku Leo Chiemeka aged 28, Onyekwelu Ugochukwu aged 32, Chibuoke Chukwuemeka aged 40, Chineke Chibueze aged 26, Ugwu Chibuike aged 35, Aneke Chidubem aged 30, Ozougwu Henry aged 29, Aneke Ugochukwu aged 31 and Nwali Ikechukwu aged 25. CSP Ndukwe stated that all the suspects have confessed to being members of the secret cult group.
Meanwhile, members of the public, particularly residents of the State, have been called upon to remain law-abiding, vigilant and continue to assist the Police with credible and timely information/ intelligence it requires to clampdown on unrepentant criminal elements in the State.
For any crime being committed, members of the public have been advised to report at the nearest Police Station or call the Command’s emergency hotlines on: 08032003702, 08075390883 or 08086671202. Or alternatively send e-mails to contact042ppro@gmail.com or use the “NPF Rescue App” to make such reports.
