Police arrest two for possessing firearms (photos)

Two persons identified as Ifesinachi Nwankwo aged 24 and Raphael Nwaorie aged 27 have reportedly arrested by the Enugu Command of the Nigeria Police Force for being in possession of firearms.

While Nwankwo was said to be residing at Amodudu Ugbawka, Nwaorie was said to be residing at Onuorie Ugbawka in Nkanu East L.G.A of Enugu State respectively.

This is as the Commissioner of Police, Enugu State Command; CP Ahmad Abdur-Rahman reinstated the commitment of the Nigerian Police to flush criminals away from the state.

Abdur-Rahman in a briefing with journalists on the achievement of the command in the month of July said that the state police command will deal decisively with anyone that would want to create threaten the peace in the state.

He thanked the neighbourhood Watch and other sister agencies for collaborating with the police to achieve such feat.

Read the Press Release in full details

PRESS BRIEFING AND PARADE OF CRIMINAL SUSPECTS BY THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE, ENUGU STATE POLICE COMMAND,

CP AHMAD ABDUR-RAHMAN MCPSS, MCJ, MNIM, BEING PART OF THE COMMAND’S OPERATIONAL BREAKTHROUGHS AS OF JULY, 2020, HELD THIS 4TH DAY OF AUGUST, 2020 AT THE STATE HEADQUARTERS, ENUGU

Gentlemen of the Press, I delightfully welcome you to this briefing and parade of criminal suspects, wherein I bring to public knowledge some of the operational breakthroughs we recorded within the month of July, 2020.

Recall that I have before now relayed to the public successes recorded in the past months through press releases, without necessarily inviting you in this manner, due to the advent and constraints of the novel Corona virus pandemic. However, with the gradual easing of the Virus containment restrictions, I deemed it fit to once again intimate you of the recent breakthroughs by way of this briefing.

Dear friends, it is expedient to say that these achievements were made possible by intelligence, robust collaboration with other security agencies, local security outfits, like the Neighbourhood Watch Group of the State, effective partnership and cooperation with relevant stakeholders, the general public as well as the unalloyed loyalty, dedication and diligence of the Officers and Men of the Command.

Having said this, the following breakthroughs were recorded mostly in the month of July, through the efforts of the Command’s Operational Units and Police Divisions as will be mentioned subsequently.

SUMMARY OF THE BREAKTHROUGHS

*** Number of Suspects Arrested = 10

*** Offences Committed: Conspiracy, Armed Robbery, Unlawful Possession of Firearms, and

Cultism

Items Recovered:

*** Firearms (including an AK47 rifle) = 6

*** Live Ammunition of 5.56mm caliber =

15

*** Live Cartridges = 36

*** Expended Cartridges = 12

*** TV set = 1

*** Mobile Phones = 3

*** Cutlass = 1

BREAKDOWN/DESCRIPTION OF THE BREAKTHROUGHS:

1). Armed Robbery, Unlawful Possession of Firearms and Murder Suspects:

Name of Suspects:

a. Ifesinachi Nwankwo aged 24, residing at Amodudu Ugbawka in Nkanu East L.G.A of Enugu State

b. Raphael Nwaorie aged 27, residing at Onuorie Ugbawka in Nkanu East L.G.A of Enugu State.

Brief History of the Case:

The first above-mentioned suspect was arrested at Ugbawka, Nkanu East L.G.A of the State on 26th July, 2020 at about 1800hrs and the second in Onueke, Izza South L.G.A. of Ebonyi State on 30th July, 2020, through a combined effort of the Command’s Operatives attached to Nkanu West and East Police Divisions and SARS Enugu.

Their arrest is sequel to intelligence gathered that the duo and other members of the gang now at large, allegedly attacked and killed one Onyebuchi Aninwagu, the Chief Security Officer of Amodu-Awkunanaw Community on 19th July, 2020 at about 1200hrs and made away with his Pump Action gun.

They were also alleged to have on 21st July, 2020 at about 0600hrs attacked Police Officers attached to Ozalla Division of the Command at Agro-Allied Product Filling Station along Obe/Agbani Road, and carted away two (2) Assault Rifles, after killing one of the Policemen, one ASP Ominyi Chukwu while the other, one Inspr. Princewill Ebiriem, sustained severe degrees of bullet wounds.

The deadly gang was further alleged to have attacked one Alhaji Ibrahim Yaro at Grace of God Junction, Isiaji Road, Okpebe-Amodu, Nkanu West L.G.A of the State, shot him on the leg and made away with his unregistered Bajaj Motorcycle.

Preliminary investigation shows that the suspects confessed to the crime, while Ifesinachi Nwankwo was allegedly dismissed from the Nigeria Army after going AWOL.

Meanwhile, intense investigation is ongoing at SARS Enugu to apprehend fleeing members of the gang and prosecute them alongside these two.

Items recovered include:

1. One (1) AK47 rifle with breech number: 07027263, belonging to one of the Policemen;

2. Two (2) pump action guns;

3. One (1) double barrel locally-made pistol;

4. Fifteen (15) 5.56m live ammunition;

5. Thirty six (36) live cartridges; and

6. Twelve (12) expended cartridges

2). Armed Robbery/Unlawful Possession of Firearms Suspects

Name of Suspects:

a. Boniface Mashi aged 28yrs, residing at New Artisan Market, Enugu.

b. Godstime Ugima aged 22yrs, residing at New Artisan Market, Enugu.

Brief History of the Case:

Suspects were arrested at Premier Layout, Enugu on 26th July, 2020 at about 0700hrs through a combined effort of the Command’s Operatives attached to Independence Layout Police Division and Neighbourhood Watch Group in the area.

Their arrest is sequel to complaints received that at different times on 3rd, 14th and 19th July, 2020 respectively, the duo and others now at large, attacked their victims and robbed them of cash sum of N10,000.00 and three (3) different brand of phones including: one (1) Infinix valued at N7,500.00, one (1) TECNO Spark 4 valued at N20,000.00 and one (1) Samsung A5 value not yet known at gunpoint.

Preliminary investigation shows that the suspects, who have been involved in different robbery operations, confessed to the crime. Meanwhile, discreet investigation is ongoing at SARS Enugu to arrest other members of the gang now at large and prosecute them accordingly.

Item recovered:

1. One (1) Pump Action gun.

3). Armed Robbery Suspect:

Name of Suspect:

a. Chinonso Ozor, aged 20yrs, residing at Premier Layout, Enugu

Brief History of the Case:

The suspect was arrested at Premier Layout, Enugu on 26th July, 2020 at about 2230hrs by the Command’s Operatives attached to Independence Layout Police Division with assistance from Neighbourhood Watch Group in the area after robbing his victim at gunpoint of the cash sum of N2,000.00 and was attempting to escape.

Preliminary investigation shows that the suspect allegedly lured the victim to an uncompleted building at New Artisan; Enugu under the pretence of showing him scraps to buy and then robbed him of the said amount at gunpoint. Meanwhile, discreet investigation to persecute the suspect and others is ongoing at SARS Enugu.

Item recovered:

1. One (1) locally made pistol

4). Arrmed Robbery Suspect:

Name of Suspects:

a. Chukwunyere Okafor, aged 38, residing at Car Street, Ogui, Enugu

b. Obiora Edeh, aged 26, residing at Jambolin, Mbanugo, Coal Camp, Enugu

Brief History of the Case:

The suspects were arrested on 17th July, 2020 at about 1113hrs by Operatives of the Command attached to Uwani Police Division while on stop/search duty at Amokwe Bus Stop, Agbani Road, Enugu. Their arrest is sequel to the Operatives intercepting them and two others now at large in a Bajaj Tricycle, and upon conducting search on them, discovered one (1) 54 inches Plasma TV, one (1) play station machine, three (3) different make of phones, one (1) wrist watch and one (1) belt all of which they could not account for.

Preliminary investigation reveals that they suspects had robbed their victim, who was able to identify them, of the mentioned items at Independence Layout, Enugu on the same date at about 0150hrs armed with cutlass. Investigation is ongoing to arrest the fleeing suspects and prosecute them alongside these two.

Items recovered from them include:

1. one (1) 54 inches Plasma TV,

2. one (1) play station machine,

3. three (3) different make of phones,

4. one (1) wrist watch, and

4. one (1) belt

5). Stealing, Unlawful Possession of Firearm and Cultism

Name of Suspects:

a. Obiechina Chigbata aged 21 of Okpakpaka Akautara, Nsukka Road, Adani, Enugu State.

b. Obinna Ogenyi aged 24, residing at Oguguma Road, Adani, Enugu State.

c. Benjamin Baba aged 24, residing at No. 14 Ofise Street, Amaobia Awka, Anambra State.

Brief History of the Case:

The suspects were arrested on 8th July, 2020 in Nsukka area of the State while Operatives of the Command’s Anti-Cultism Squad were on the lookout for the prime suspect, Obiechina Chigbata, who has been on Police wanted list for stealing of motorcycles, including allegedly stealing one on 24th June, 2020 from where it was parked in a mechanic workshop.

Preliminary investigation shows that the Operatives, on the said date of their arrest, ran into a group of suspected cultists having a meeting to strategize on how to help the prime suspect recover his position as the leader of their cult group and arrested them, while others escaped. The suspects confessed to being members of Vikings confraternity, while the said motorcycle was recovered at Omor in Anambra State.

Items recovered include:

1. One (1) locally-made Pistol

See Pictures below

2. One (1) motorcycle