Teenage Robbery Gang That Operates In Army Uniform Nabbed

A Three man teenage robbery gang that has been terrorizing residents of Ikot Omin, 8 Miles and Basin Development Authority in Calabar, the Cross River State capital has been nabbed.

The trio, Edem Basey Effiong, 18, Emmanuel Nkalu 19 and Aliyu Umaru 21, who usually adorn themselves in army camouflage terrorised the residents of these areas for several
months before they were arrested through sustained intelligence and undercover efforts during the Christmas
Period last year.

Parading them alongside other suspects, the Cross River State Police Commissioner Mr Kola Sodipo said the sum of 350,000.00 and 250,000 naira worth of recharge after the
robbed one Ime Stephen who sell recharges at Basin
Development Authority, Calabar at gun point.

"They robbed Imeh Stephen of Basin Authority at gun ;point
of recharge card Valued at 250,000.00, and cash of
350,000.00m naira ; in their possession during the arrest
were a pistol 7 live ammunition, Army Uniform, recharge
cards and handsets".

Mr Kola Sodipo also paraded the duo of Daniel Sunday,
25, and Prophet Friday, 19 , who were arrested on the 24th of
December 2013, at Ikang, Bakassi with 800 live AK 47
ammunition, 7.62mm and 634v rounds of general purpose
machine gun , GPMG, ammunition, 56 mm and 632 live
assault rifle ammunition at Ikang while planning to cause
havoc in Calabar during the Carnival period. "Their arrest
aborted their plans to unleash havoc in the city during the
annual Calabar Festival".

Mr Kola Sodipo said explosive devices mounted by another
set of militants, Eyo Okokon Nsa and-Peter Ibe during the
period at Atan , at Odukpani in the outskirts of Calabar would
have caused severe havoc and disruption to the festivities
had the police not uncovered the nefarious plans and carry out
immediate detonation of the devices. "110 pieces of dynamite
fuses, nine bags of ammonium nitrate used to prepare the
explosive devices were recovered and the suspects arrested
and they confessed to the crime" . Sodipo said
During the period, according to the Police Commissioner, a
total of eleven armed robbery suspects were arrested by the
police in various parts of the state. The suspects include David
Nse Abasi, Colins Okoh and Aka Jerome who blocked
Mkpani / Ekori road in the Central Senatorial, District and
robbed several persons includi8ng one David Onovo of 79,000,00 naira.

Other suspects arrested include Simon Michael Agba,
Samson Kalu, Abosi whop robbed Iheme Tochukwu, the
manager of Tolik Filling Station in Ikom of 57,000. 00 .

Commissioner Sodipo said the sum of 278,000 00 was
recovered from one robbery suspect, Godwin Samuel who
robbed Chijoke Samuel of 2 Oti Ansa . Mr Sodipo said a
total of 48 locally made pistols were recovered from criminals
while 3,893 arrests were made with 955 prosecutions made in
2013. '

With increased visibility, intensive foot and vehicular patrols,
sustained raiding of black spots, and collaboration with
residents of the state the police would not relent in bringing
crime to its barest minimum".. He reiterated that trani9ng
and retraining is being intensified by the Command to sharpen
the ability of his men adopting proactive community measures
in carrying out surveillance and community initiatives inoder
to comply with directives from the 'Police High Command
to win the war against crime and terrorism".

Via: Vanguard