The Anambah State Command of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) says it recorded some successes in its efforts to rid the State of criminal elements and assure security of lives and properties.  

This week alone it arrested three robbery suspects and one suspected cultist, recovered an unexploded bomb, and also led efforts at putting out fire at a residential building.

The State Commissioner of Police, John Abang said two of the robbery suspects were arrested on Wednesday, January 29, 2020,  by  the Federal Highway Patrol team attached to the command during a stop and search operation at Ozubulu junction along the Port Harcourt-Onitsha Highway.

According to a statement by the Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the command, Superintendent Haruna Mohammed, the State Commissioner of Police said that the suspects, Obidinma Chidiebere, and Chigozie Anozie, both aged 27 years, hail from Isiala Mbano Local Government Area of the State.

Abang said the two young men, who were intercepted when the policemen observed them behaving in a suspicious manner, were found with one locally made pistol with three rounds of live ammunition, adding that the case was under investigation after which the suspects would be charged to court for prosecution.

The third armed robbery suspect, Ken Udoh was arrested on Tuesday, January 28, 2020, for allegedly snatching a Blue coloured Toyota Yaris saloon car with Registration No. FUG 245 PJ in Edo State.

The vehicle was recovered from the suspect, who resides at Devine Wisdom, Sapele Road, Edo State but a native of Amemo in Ikeduru LGA of Imo State, at Eke Nkpor in Idemili North LGA of Anambra State when he was arrested by a combined team of police patrol teams attached to Ogidi and Nnobi Divisions following intelligence report.

Abang said the exhibit, having been recovered, would be handed over, alongside the suspect, to the Edo State Command for further investigation and prosecution.

In another development, a middle aged man allegedly died of suspected heart attack in Jubilee Hotel, Onitsha after an alleged sex romp with an unidentified female acquaintance.

The Police in Anambra State said they were called in by the manager of the hotel after hearing shouts from hi room. When they rushed in they met him holding his chest and immediately took him to a nearby hospital but was confirmed dead by the doctor on duty.

The Commissioner of Police stated that investigation was ongoing as detectives attached to Central Police Station (CPS), Onitsha have visited the crime scene and photographs of the victim obtained but disclosed that preliminary findings show no mark of violence on the deceased body.

The corpse has been deposited at the Boromeo Hospital for autopsy while investigation continues to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The Anambra Police Chief also revealed that his men have successfully arrested a notorious suspected cultist, Kelechi Ejiofor, aged 20 years, of No. 14 Vinalu Street, Awada, that has been terrorising the entire Oraifite Street axis of the community.

Reports have it that on the Tuesday, December 17, 2019, the suspect allegedly mobilized his gang, who allegedly attacked and inflicted serious injuries on one Ebuka Uba of Pope John Paul Street, Awada.

But on Wednesday, January 29, 2020, Police operatives attached to Awada Division while on patrol along Oraifite Street, Awada arrested the suspect who is now helping the police investigation and efforts to apprehend other members of the cult group in order to bring them to justice.

In a related development, the Explosives Ordinance Disposal (EOD) Unit of the Anambra State Police Command on Thursday, January 23, 2020 successfully recovered an unexploded ordinance (UXO) or bomb believed to be a remnant of the Nigerian Civil War arsenal which was buried at a construction site in an area off Ishiagu Road, Amansea.

According to Abang, the Police patrol team led by DPO B’ Division, Awka, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Ogbonnaya Emmanuel visited the scene and cordoned off the Area to prevent catastrophe until the EOD Unit arrived and profiled, analysed and photographed the explosive device before evacuating it for detonation.

Meanwhile, the Anambra Police Command intervened and mobilized efforts to save the situation in different fire incidents across the State.

In one case, a Police patrol team led by DPO, CPS Onitsha, Superintendent of Police (SP) Ifeanyi Iburu on Friday, January 31, 2020, rushed to the scene of a fire outbreak at a four bedroom bungalow belonging to one Hon. Idu Emeka close to Marine Station, Onitsha to save the situation.

The Police team quickly secured the area while mobilizing fire fighters and other good Samaritans who eventually succeeded in putting off the fire.

According to the Police Chief, no loss of life was recorded and no injury sustained. The value of the property destroyed was yet be ascertained just as investigation was ongoing to determine the cause of the fire incident.

Similarly, on January 29, 2020, a Police patrol team attached to Oko Division rushed in to rescue a child from inside a building that was gutted by fire, said to belong to one Amara Chukwu, a female, of Enugwu Nanka.  

The Police patrol team, upon arriving the scene, cordoned off the area to prevent hoodlums from taking advantage of the situation to loot while the fire was put off through collective efforts of local volunteers.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the fire was caused by bush burning by unknown persons which went out of hand and affected parts of the building; no loss of life and injury was recorded. Value of the affected property was yet to be ascertained and the case is under investigation.

In another case on same day at about 6:30pm, a tricycle (Keke Napep) driven by a yet-to-be-identified individual was gutted by fire by Mr Biggs, along New Market Road, opposite Conoil, Onitsha.

The Police said the fire was immediately put off before it escalates. One Keke Napep was affected by the fire but no loss of life or injury was recorded.

speaking on the incidences of fire outbreak across the State, the Commissioner of Police, John Abang urged members of the public to always exercise restraint and take precautionary measures to avert fire outbreaks in their houses or business premises, especially, during this period of Harmattan when cases of fire incidents were becoming rampant.