One killed as police arrest ex-soldier, one different for alleged armed theft

The police in Imo State, South-east Nigeria, stated they’ve killed a suspected armed robber within the state.

The police spokesperson within the state, Henry Okoye, disclosed this in a press convention on the Police Command Headquarters on Saturday.

A video clip of the press convention was additionally posted on Fb.

Mr Okoye, an assistant superintendent of police, stated the slain suspect was a part of a five-man prison gang that robbed a store at Ikenegbu Space of Owerri, the state capital, earlier on Saturday.

The police spokesperson stated two different members of the gang had been arrested by police operatives.

He gave the names of the arrested suspects as Peter Gaura, 27, an indigene of Kogi State and Joshua Promise, 25, who hails from Delta State.

Mr Gaura, one of many suspects, is a dismissed soldier, the police stated.

PREMIUM TIMES learnt that two different members of the gang escaped.

‘How the killing, arrest occurred’

Mr Okoye stated the arrest of the 2 suspects and killing of one in every of them adopted a misery name at about 1:00 p.m. that the hoodlums had been robbing a store within the space.

The police spokesperson stated the suspects, armed with subtle weapons and numbering about seven, operated in white Toyota Hilux truck with its quantity plate coated.

He stated the Commissioner of Police within the state, Ahmed Barde, consequently “mobilised and personally” led the tactical workforce of the police to the scene of the assault.

“The hoodlums, on sighting the police operatives, instantly opened hearth however had been overwhelmed by the dexterity showcased by the operatives in addition to the superior hearth energy of the operatives which pressured these hoodlums to flee with numerous levels of gunshot accidents,” he stated.

“Within the course of (through the shoot-out), one in every of them was gunned down whereas the 2 suspects that we paraded at the moment had been arrested,” Mr Okoye added.

Two pump motion weapons, 4 regionally made pistols with eight rounds of dwell cartridges and one expended cartridge had been among the many objects recovered from the suspects, in keeping with the police.

Others had been two pairs of navy underwear, two pairs of particular forces’ underwear, face masks, college luggage, items of jewellery price thousands and thousands of naira, and the truck utilized by the suspects within the theft.

Mr Okoye stated the physique of the slain suspect was instantly deposited at a morgue whereas the opposite two suspects arrested by the operatives had been being investigated.

“Definitely, they might be arraigned upon completion of diligent investigation by the command’s tactical workforce,” he stated of the arrested suspects.

The Commissioner of Police in Imo State, Mr Barde, counseled the operatives for efficiently monitoring down the hoodlums, Mr Okoye stated.

The police commissioner urged the operatives to maintain the combat towards criminals within the state.

He enjoined residents of the state to proceed to assist the police with “actional intelligence” that may assist the police in monitoring down extra crime suspects within the state.