Ebonyi State Police command, has confirmed to newsmen that an official of the Ebubeagu Security Network, in Ohaozara local government area, identified as Vincent Ene Njoku, is in their custody.
Police spokesperson in Ebonyi state, SP Chris Anyanwu, disclosed in a statement in Abakaliki.
Njoku and two others according to Anaynwu, were members of a syndicate of armed robbers who specialize in snatching vehicles and motorcycles from Enugu and other neighboring states.
Anyanwu, hinted that Njoku, an undisclosed female gang member, and another suspect, were nabbed by policemen attached led by SP Daniel Nwonu, the Divisional Police Officer.
The spokesman said that the three suspects were rounded up at Uburu while negotiating the sale of one of the snatched motorcycles.
“The principal suspect, Bassey Francis, a native of Isu-Onicha in Onicha L.G.A stole the motorcycle from his village, took the bike to Vincent Ene Njoku, a native of Uburu, in Ohaozara L.G.A (a personnel of the state local vigilante outfit, Ebubeagu), who in turn linked up the suspect to Enyidiya Amara (the receiver), a native of Uburu, in Ohaozara LGA on an agreed sum of N100,000.
“On interrogation, the Ebubeagu personnel confessed that they belong to a gang with their hideout at Isu-Onicha, where they hid five other snatched mini-buses and seven motorcycles.
According to him, they have a leader, a native doctor, that prepares charms and other concoctions for them whenever they are embarking on armed robbery operation.
“The prime suspect corroborated the confession of his gangmate and further stated that arms were also stock-piled in the same compound aforestated,” Anyanwu said.
The PPRO, in another development, said tactical teams of the command led by SP Jerry Maigoroson, stormed the camp of suspected IPOB/ESN located in Oriuzor village in Ezza North Local Government Area, on June 30, but on sighting the operatives, the hoodlums opened fire on them which resulted in a gunduel and in the process, one of the suspects, identified as Elijah, was fatally wounded, while about six others escaped with bullet wounds.
“Fortunately, one of them Chibundu Ali, aged 18, a native of Ezzama in Ezza East Development Centre, was arrested and brought to custody.
“He is currently being interrogated to unravel the identity of the fleeing ones.
Meanwhile, the camp was ransacked and destroyed, wherein the following exhibits were recovered: “One cut-to-size AK-47 rifle with a few rounds of live ammunition which was stolen during an attack on Ezza South Police Station sometime ago, one locally-fabricated revolver pistol, expanded ammunition shells, one machete, assorted fetish substances, weed, suspected to be marijuana, customized IPOB/ESN cap and red berets, five GSM handsets belonging to the neutralized and fleeing suspects,” Anaynwu stated.
