The Police Command in Enugu State has apprehended seven suspects, among whom is a former political ward councillor, for engaging in criminal activities within the Enugu metropolis.
According to a statement by the Command’s Spokesman, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, on Thursday in Enugu, the police recovered six firearms, 16 live cartridges, and a snatched motor vehicle from the suspects.
Ndukwe provided details of the arrests and recoveries, indicating that police operatives from the Abakpa Police Division, collaborating with the Neighbourhood Watch Group, apprehended one Ndubuisi Oboro, 27, on December 6 around 9.30 p.m. The suspect and his associates had assaulted a man, seized his phones, and forcibly took his Toyota Camry car. However, they were intercepted by the police, resulting in the arrest of the suspect and the recovery of a locally-made double-barreled pistol and the vehicle.
In another incident, police operatives of the Anti-Cultism Tactical Squad detained five male suspects – Kosisochukwu Ochiora, 25; Agbo Daniel, 25; Henry Ogbonna, 42; Ani Samuel, 17; and Okolo Ndukanachi, 24 – during November 2023 for involvement in a case of conspiracy, unlawful possession of firearms, and cultism. The arrest led to the seizure of four firearms, comprising two locally-made double-barreled pistols, a locally-made revolver pistol, a cut-to-size single-barreled gun, and 16 live cartridges.
Further investigation revealed that the suspects admitted to being members of the Vikings Confraternity, with Henry Ogbonna identified as the former Councillor of Ikiriki Ward 6 in Enugu South Local Government Legislative Council. Ogbonna was also known as a Senior Special Assistant on Works to the Council’s Executive Chairman and was implicated as a member and sponsor of secret cult group activities.
The suspects planned to retaliate against a notorious member of a rival cult group, Apache Tiger, before their arrest by police operatives.
Additionally, a male suspect named Ani Chidera, 28, was arrested by police operatives for his connection to a burglary case. One locally-made pistol was recovered from him, and he confessed to being a member of the Viking Confraternity. Chidera has been arraigned in court and remanded in prison.
The unprosecuted cases will be presented to court, and the suspects will face prosecution upon the conclusion of ongoing investigations, according to Ndukwe.
The Command’s spokesman emphasized that the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Kanayo Uzuegbu, reaffirmed the commitment of the police force to relentlessly combat unrepentant criminal elements in the state.
NAN
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