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By Iheanyi Chukwudi
Enugu State Police Command has nabbed two members of a daredevil robbery gang behind the killing of the Chairman of the Ogbete Main Market Traders Association (OMMATA), Enugu, Chief Stephen Aniagu.
The market leader was shot and killed on September 14, 2024.
The suspects, 28-year-old Chukwudi Aboshi, a native of Anike in Ikwo Local Government of Ebonyi State and Ani Innocent Ebuka (a.k.a. Excellent), a driver and native of Isigwe-Ugbawka in Nkanu East Local Government of Enugu State who confessed to the crime, told newsmen that they shot and killed Aniagu and one other because they were “proving stubborn.”
The suspects who were were paraded at a press briefing by the Command’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Daniel Ndukwe (DSP), gave account of their operations that day pf the incident.
Parading them, Ndukwe disclosed that six members of the gang were still at large as police intensified manhunt for them.
He said, “You will also recall that the Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, swiftly directed the state security forces to intensify efforts and ensure that all those involved in this crime are apprehended and held accountable.
Consequently, through diligent intelligence work and coordinated efforts between Police Detectives of the Anti-Robbery Section (D9) of the State CID and Operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Tactical Squad of the Command, the police arrested two male suspects involved in the crime on November 8 and 9, 2024.
During interrogation, both suspects confessed to their active involvement in the crime. They provided detailed accounts of how they attacked Mr. Aniagu, snatched his vehicle, and similarly shot another male driver severally at the same location on the night of the murder, snatching his Toyota Corolla as well. Fortunately, he is stable and undergoing treatment.
Furthermore, the suspects confessed to having committed several other crimes, stating that their criminal camp was in a forest at Mmaku in Awgu LGA.
They also mentioned the following names at large as members of their criminal gang and who were actively involved in the perpetration of the crimes: Obinna Nnamani (male), of Ndiagu Ogbo-Ezinne, Akpugo in Nkanu West LGA; Miracle (male, other names unknown, but has the nickname ‘C-C’ or ‘White’) of Mmaku community in Awgu LGA.
Others are Okoro Chisom (male) of Ihe community in Awgu LGA; Israel (male, other names and nativity unknown), Pius Anoja (male, a.k.a ‘Ezeobo’ and the chief priest of criminal group), Mosquito (male, real names unknown), and Anunti (male, real names unknown) all from Mmaku community in Awgu LGA and Inyiagboku (male, real names unknown), who hails from Akegbe-Ugwu in Nkanu West LGA.”
Ndukwe explained that the arrested suspects were assisting the police in the ongoing investigations to apprehend the mentioned accomplices on the run, and to recover the stolen vehicles and tools used to commit these crimes.
According to him, the Commissioner of Police, Enugu State, CP Anayo Uzuegbu, while appreciating the Enugu State Government, “under the proactive leadership of Dr. Peter Mbah, for its unwavering support to the police and other security agencies in the State,” has vowed to dismantle any remnant criminal gangs in the state and called on members of the public to assist security agencies with useful information.
Meanwhile, one of the arrested criminals, Ani Chukwuebuka, confessed to the crime, and told a story of how he was contacted by one Obinna, leader of the gang.
He said, “The reason they called me out that day was to come and drive one of the Corolla cars that was stolen. I saw three AK47 riffles and three pump action riffles. We drove off to Mmaku.
As we were on the way, they told me they wanted to snatch the vehicle from the man, but he was proving stubborn and they shot him and the second car they said they equally shot that one too."
Ani Chukwuebeuka, who had burns all over his body said they were recently inflicted on him in Oji River where he was set ablaze over theft of tricycles, but was saved by a Good Samaritan, further confessed to being the logistics supplier in the criminal ring.
On his part, Aboshi said, “After closing my cosmetic shop at Gariki for the day, Obinna called me. They picked me to Topland. We saw one vehicle. We wanted to take it to Mmaku that day. So, we stopped the vehicle and the owner did not want to allow Obinna to take the vehicle. So, Obinna shot him. Immediately, we saw another one and stopped it. We shot the person.
I was carrying a pump action. We were carrying four AK47, one Pump Action. We took the vehicles to a forest in Mmaku."
He said the charms recovered from them and fetish marks allegedly given to him on the forehead by Obinna were for protection.
Meanwhile, Governor Peter Mbah, has vowed that there was no hiding place for criminals in the state.
The Governor had assured that “Those who have decided to test our resolve will meet their waterloo like these ones."
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