Abia Most-Wanted Armed Robber Ihechi Nwankwo Killed In Gun Duel With 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 our
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 our correspondent sought to know their level of involvement in
the crimes.
Source: Punch
Source: Punch
Comments
Post a Comment