The Rivers State Police Command, on Tuesday, disclosed that it has taken into custody a notorious robber identified only as Chimenem, alleged to be a member of a criminal gang believed to have killed three Police officers of the Rumuolumeni Police Division of the state.
An Assistant Superintendent of Police, ASP, Daniel Ofomah and two others were reportedly ambushed and killed by unidentified men while on patrol.
The command’s Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Nnamdi Omoni, DSP, in a statement in Port Harcourt, the state capital, Tuesday said that Chimenem has confessed to the crime.
He further explained that five members of the gang were killed by the police in the confrontation that led to Chimenem’s arrest while arms and ammunition were recovered.
The DSP said that a joint operation of the Police and the Military raided the hideout of the criminals following useful information from the public.
He said, “In its resolve to make the state uninhabitable for Armed Robbers and Kidnappers, the State Police Command has again recorded a mile stone in crime fighting as the men of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit through a tip-off arrested one Chimenem a notorious kidnapper/ armed robber who on interrogation confessed to being among the robbers who recently ambushed policemen that led to the killing of ASP Ofomah Daniel and two others of Rumuolumeni Police Division.
“Based on his confession, a joint operation by DPO Rumuolumeni, Anti-Kidnapping Unit (AKU) and the Military raided a black spot at the Trans Kalabari Road, Rumuolumeni, Port Harcourt where the hoodlums engaged the men on a fierce gun duel leaving five of them fatally wounded.
“Consequently, one single barreled shot gun, one cut-to-size single barrel gun and five rounds of live cartridges were recovered from them, as others escaped with bullet wounds. Investigation is on-going at the Anti-kidnapping Unit.”
Meanwhile, the Rivers state Police Command says it has recovered sixty million naira in cash abandoned by a bullion van driver in Port Harcourt.
Deputy Commissioner of Police incharge of Administration in the Command, Uche Anozia stated this while displaying the wads of cash to newsmen in Port Harcourt.
DCP Anozia said the recovery of the cash was as a result of a complaint from the Bankers Warehouse that a bullion van conveying money from Aba to Port Harcourt had diverted.
The Police Chief disclosed that the incident happened between last week Friday and on Tuesday.
He further told newsmen that the two main suspects are on the run adding that investigations will continue until the suspects are apprehended.
He said, “A bullion van was rented by Zenith and Stanbic IBTC banks here in Port Harcourt. The bullion van was to go to Aba to the branches of these particular banks. To convey cash from Aba to Port Harcourt on behalf of these banks.
“The van was manned by a driver. While in Aba some soldiers were attached to accompany the bullion van. When the bullion van arrived in Port Harcourt, it went to Zenith Bank to deliver the aspect of money owned by the bank.
“According to the complainant, the soldiers disembarked and left after discharging cash at Zenith bank. Now, it remained the money for Stanbic IBTC bank and the driver alone. Consequently, the driver absconded with the vehicle and the money.
“On July the 11th useful intelligence was received by me that a Ford Explorer was parked at the premises of a supermarket, Everyday Supermarket in GRA. The vehicle was opened and the amount recovered is sixty million, two hundred and fifty thousand naira only (N60,250,000).
“The driver of the bullion van and complainant are on the run. I can assure you that investigations are still on and we are making efforts to get them.”
