By Izunna Okafor, Awka
Anambra State Police Command said it has gunned down two armed men, suspected to be part of gummen terrorizing the state.
The Spokesperson of the Command, DSP Ikenga Tochukwu disclosed this to newsmen in a statement in Awka, the state capital.
He said the two armed men were accosted by a police patrol team by Obosi Town Hall, along the Obosi—Nkpor as they were cruising in a white Toyota Hiace bus, red Toyota Corolla, and a motorcycle.
He said, noticing them, the police engaged them in a gun battle, during which two members of the gang were neutralized, while others fled in the Toyota Hiace bus and the motorcycle. He further noted that one pump action, one locally-fabricated pistol, and the red Toyota Corolla with the registration number AKD 303 DW were recovered from the scene; while patrol and operational positioning have also been intensified and restrategized in the area.
In a related development, DSP Ikenga said police, while on patrol along Central School Road, Umusiomen, in Nkpor, recovered a white Mercedes Benz 350 with registration number RSH 836 BE suspected to have been abandoned by criminal elements.
He further said, police, at about 4:30pm, on Tuesday, rescued two suspected armed robbers from mob action, along Zik’s Avenue, in Awka, Anambra State capital.
According to him, the suspects, identified as Okoye Stephen (aged 19) and Chukwuemeka Nwudo (age 27) who were armed with a locally-made pistol, attempted to rob and dispossess a young lady of her cash, after withdrawing money from ATM; which made the mob to rush, apprehend, and descend on them.
He said the mob had already beaten the suspects to stupor before police rescued them.
Reacting to these developments, the State Commissioner of Police, CP Echeng Echeng commended his officers and charged them to sustain the tempo in the fight against crimes and violence in the state.
The Police Commissioner also reiterated the advocacy against mob action and jungle justice, and advised members of the public to always exercise restraint by not taking the law into their hands.
He said: “They should always endeavour to take suspects to the nearest Police Station whenever they apprehended them. This would afford the Police the opportunity to conduct appropriate investigation into the nefarious activities of the suspects, and bring them to justice in accordance with extant laws.”
