Police nab eight suspected handbag snatchers

Emma Elekwa, Onitsha

Anambra State Police Command has arrested eight robbery suspects, who specialise in one-chance robbery and handbag snatching.

Spokesman Haruna Mohammed, who disclosed this on Monday, said the suspects were nabbed inside a forest at Nkwelle Ezunanka in Oyi Local Government.

He said the suspects were part of the gang allegedly involved in armed robberies, phones and handbags snatching in Onitsha and its environs.

Mohammed listed the exhibits recovered to include arms, bags of weed suspected to be cannabis sativa, phones, laptops and other incriminating items suspected to have been stolen.

He said: “Following credible intelligence report, operatives attached to the Command Special Anti-cult Unit (SPACS), in conjunction with Operation Kpochakpu II, arrested the following suspects inside a forest at Nkwelle Ezunanka in Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State.

“Ikechukwu Ezeh aka Mopol, 34, from Okija in Ihiala Local Government; Jude Nwachukwu, 24, from Ebonyi; Samuel Egbe, 25, from Ebonyi; Chukwudi Augustine, 24, from Ebonyi; Jacob Godwin, 22, from Ebonyi; Paul Linus, 26, from Ebonyi; Uche Okoye, 27 and Augustine Uzokwa, 26, both from Anambra State.

“Exhibits recovered from them include one double barrel gun, one single barrel gun, two big bags containing weed suspected to be cannabis sativa, two laptops, 19 phones, locally made bunkers for inhaling hard drugs, charms, packets of roller for wrapping hard drugs, 44 lighters, three packs of cotton bud, two bottles of perfumes, N42,500 cash and other incriminating items.”

Mohammed disclosed the arrest of a 22-year-old notorious robbery suspect terrorising Upper Iweka axis.

He said the suspect, Arinze Ozemenam aka Arewa of Army Barracks, Onitsha, was nabbed around 1:20pm by a police patrol team attached to Awada Division.

“The suspects allegedly waylaid Emeka Nweke, male, of Nkpor and robbed him of money and other belongings while he was returning from church,” Mohammed added.

He said the cases were under investigation after which the suspects would be arraigned.

“Police Commissioner John Abang enjoins people, whose phones/laptops were either snatched or stolen, to report at the Special Anti-cult Unit, Enugwu-ukwu, with proof of ownership, in order to claim their belongings and give evidence to aid investigation.

“The command assures the public that it will deny the criminals the opportunity to operate through intensive patrols, continuous raids on blackspots and criminals’ hideouts and intelligence gathering to enable Ndi Anambra and residents enjoy the Yuletide,” Mohammed added.