A notorious
robber operating in Imo State, South-eastern part of Nigeria has been killed
during a security raid by the police.
There was
jubilation at the Imo State Police Command headquarters in Owerri when the
remains of the state’s ‘most-wanted’ armed robber, Ihechi Nwankwo, were brought
from Umuahia, the Abia State capital.
The
spokesman for the Imo State Police Command, Andrew Enwerem, told Southern City
News that the 27-year-old armed robber, who hailed from Amaumara in the
Ezinihitte Mbaise Local Government Area of the state, had been on the wanted
list of the command for a long time.
According to
Enwerem, Nwankwo had been involved in a series of criminal operations,
including robbing a bank customer of N8m at Access Bank at Ahiara Junction on
August 8.
The slain
suspect was also said to have robbed one Jovita Enwerem of N650,000 at gunpoint
at Ahiara Junction on June 21. A police source, who did not want to be named,
told a Punch correspondent that Nwankwo met his waterloo after he masterminded
a robbery attack on a Chinese expatriate in Owerri in May.
The
expatriate was said to have been dispossessed of his N10m, while his police
guard was killed in the criminal operation.
Enwerem
said, “On September 28, the state police command control room was alerted to a
robbery attack along Wetheral Road, Owerri.
“A customer
of the Wetheral Road branch of Zenith Bank had gone to the bank to withdraw
N50m. On their way, along Wetheral Road, they were confronted by a daredevil
armed robbery gang operating with a grey colour Toyota Corolla with number
plate ABJ 951AA that blocked the convoy and immediately opened fire on the
police escorts.”
The police
spokesman stated that the robbers engaged the cops in a gun duel but they were
overpowered by the police. He said three policemen, however, sustained gunshot
injuries and were already being treated in the hospital.
Enwerem
said, “The criminals escaped from the robbery scene but their vehicle was
riddled with bullets. We, however, contacted police in the neighbouring states
to be on the lookout.
“Subsequently,
the criminals were intercepted in Umuahia, Abia State, where they engaged the
operatives in a gun duel. One of the gang members was gunned down while the
others escaped with bullet injuries and the ash coloured Toyota Corolla car was
also recovered.”
Enwerem said
investigation by the command’s Special Anti-Robbery Squad operatives revealed
that the elder brother of the slain robber, one Chibuike Nwankwo, 42, and
Chukwudi Obinwanne, a native of Ugiri in Isiala Mbano LGA of the state, were
being held at SARS cell for bank robbery cases.
The two
suspects in the police custody, however, denied the allegation when a
correspondent sought to know their level of involvement in the crimes.
Source: Tori
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