The Enugu State Police Command has arrested three suspects for alleged armed robbery in the Enugu metropolis and Oji-River axis of the state.
The police also recovered firearms and other items from the suspects.
This is contained in a statement by the Command’s spokesman, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, in Enugu on Saturday.
Ndukwe said detectives serving in the Awkunanaw Police Division on May 7, around 1:30 pm, arrested a 31-year-old suspect (name withheld), while his cohorts escaped.
He said the operatives recovered one locally fabricated Beretta-like pistol from the suspect.
“The suspect’s arrest followed the receipt of a report from a tricyclist, who alleged that a gang of armed robbers, on May 6, diverted and robbed him of his cash, phone, and other belongings while conveying them to Garriki in Awkunanaw, Enugu.
“Upon leading the detectives to the scene of the incident, the suspect sighted them and attempted to escape before he was caught, and the firearm was recovered from him.
“The victim was able to identify the suspect as one of the same armed gang members that robbed him the previous night,” he said.
Ndukwe said operatives serving in Oji-River Police Division, working with members of the Neighbourhood See Group, on May 3, around 5:20 am, arrested two suspects (names withheld), for alleged robbery.
He said the suspects, who are residents of Trans-Ekulu, Enugu, allegedly armed with toy pistols, robbed their victim of cash, phone, and other belongings.
The operatives, he said, also recovered two imitation revolver pistols, a snatched Honda car, a syringe containing a liquid substance suspected to be acid, and other items from the suspects.
“The suspects allegedly used the toy guns to snatch the recovered car from a suspect, and robbed him of his cash, handset, and belongings, at Amaetiti-Akwu in Achi community of Oji-River LGA, on May 3, at about 5:05 a.m.
“But they could not escape, as the operatives gave them a hot chase and apprehended them after the car skidded off the road into the bush,” he said.
He said that the suspects would be charged to court on completion of investigations into the cases.