Soldiers attached to 144 Battalion, Ukwa Army Headquarters in Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia State have reportedly arrested two out of a four man armed robbery and kidnapping gang operating in Aba and its environs.
It was gathered that while two members of the robbery/kidnapping gang escaped arrest, the soldiers after conducting search operation found three pistols, cache of yet-to-be expended bullets, a mobile phone, jewelries and cash.
According to sources at the battalion who gave the ages of the suspects as 31 and 32 years respectively further disclosed that the soldiers also recovered a Toyota Corolla Sports Utility Vehicle which the gunmen snatched from the owner along Ehere road, Ogbor Hill off Aba-Ikot Ekpene Expressway.
Information gathered by The Nation has it that most of the robbery and kidnapping gangs operating in Aba, the commercial base of the state and its environs come from southeast and South-South States sharing border with the state where the hoodlums go to take refuge after carrying out their operation in the state.
A source at 144 Battalion who spoke under condition of anonymity confirmed the incident told our reporter that the gang on interrogation confessed of planning to use the car for an operation in the night of the fateful day that they were arrested.
On why the soldiers could not gun down the fleeing members of the car snatching gang, the source stated that the soldiers decided not to shoot at them to avoid stray bullets hitting innocent members of the public.
“The incident happened in the afternoon about 2pm along Ehere road, Ogbor Hill Area. The woman was driving her kids home when the gunmen, using tricycle trailed her to Ehere road and double crossed her and asked her to come down from the car with her children.
“The woman immediately alerted her husband who went to the military guard post near Rowmay Hotel along Opobo road to report the matter. While the man was making report, he spotted the car passing. The soldiers swung into action, using the patrol vehicle to chase after them, but the hoodlums didn’t know that the soldiers were after them.
“Luck however ran after the four occupants of the SUV when they got to Brass junction by Aba-Owerri road as they were double crossed by the soldiers in Patrol van. The road is always busy at that time and the soldiers couldn’t shoot at them because of the traffic on the road.
“When the soldiers searched the car, they saw y pistol hidden under the car carpet while the other two were on one of the seats and floor of the car. They said that they intended to use the car for a robbery operation that night.
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“Investigation into the matter is still ongoing as we are trying to get at other members of the gang that are still at large,” the source concluded.
