Anambra: Police burst bandits, who attack hotels, rape victims.
By Chuks Collins, Awka
THE Anambra State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of a criminal gang of armed robbers, led by one Okechukwu Okpo, which specialises in robbing and raping hotel guests.
Items recovered from Okpo, 24, of Ndobasi village in Ebonyi State, and his gang include a locally fabricated pistol, two live cartridges and three plasma television sets, among others.
The Police, who acted on tip off, had stormed their base, an uncompleted building overlooking the Ndikelionwu-Oko federal highway.
The gang, according to a release from the Command’s Police Public Relations Officer (PRO), Ikenga Tochukwu,
on sighting the Police vehicles, opened fire on the operatives, who responded swiftly, engaging the robbers in a gun battle.
The Police spokesman disclosed that the gang recently robbed a hotel in Ndikelionwu, Orumba North Local Government Area of the state, where a female staff was also raped during the incident.
The statement read in parts: “Police operatives attached to Oko Divisional headquarters, acting on a credible information in the early hours of 6/9/2022, bursted a criminal hideout in an uncompleted building along Oko–Ufuma expressway in Orumba North Council.
“Operatives arrested one Okechukwu Okpo, ‘M,’ age 24 years, of Ndobasi village, Ebonyi State. One locally fabricated pistol, two live cartridges and three plasma television were recovered.
“The criminal gang, on sighting the police vehicle opened fire on the operatives, who responded swiftly, engaging the robbers in a gun battle. While other gang members fled the scene, Okechukwu was captured.
“Preliminary investigations show that the gang was responsible for over 25 armed robbery, kidnapping and car snatching incidents along Oko-Ufuma-Uga-Amaokpala expressway, among others .
“The most recent, according to the confessional statement of the suspect (Okechukwu) was an attack in a hotel at Ndikelionwu on 13/8/2022, where a female staff was raped and the gang also made away with three television and other items.
“Efforts are ongoing to arrest other fleeing gang members.”
The spokesman added that four other suspected criminals arrested in a separate incident, in conjunction with local security, include one Chukwubike Anieto, ‘m,’ aged 20 years, from Agulu; Chukwuemerie Ike, ‘m,’ aged 36 years, from Agulu; Chidera Muo, ‘m,’ aged 25 years, from Neni and Chukwuma Israel, ‘m,’ aged 28 years, all residing at Umuezeani village, Akwaeze.
“We recovered one Berreta pistol, three motorcycles, one axe, three machetes, one Police belt, one Sumec generator, 13 different brands of phones and other incriminating items.
“Interrogation revealed that the gang attacked a Police Constable and dispossessed him of his personal belonging on 29/8/2022 along Umukabia Okofia village, Neni.
“Also recently, the gang were caught in the act on 9/9/2022 in an attempt to rob a lady of her belonging along Okofia village, Neni.
