Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have intercepted over 753 live ammunition of General-Purpose Machine Gun, GPMG concealed in a sack being transported in a commercial vehicle from Abakaliki in Ebonyi State to Umuahia in Abia State, South-East Nigeria.
Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba in a statement says the covert operation which led to the interception and recovery of the deadly ammunition, is part of efforts by the Force to identify and crack down on criminal networks and supply chains for weapons and ammunition in and around the country.
Mba added that, following investigations into the foiled bank robbery on the Onueke branch of a commercial bank in Ebonyi State which occurred in January, 2021, police operatives on April 29 stormed the criminal hideout of suspects indicted in the investigations located at Oriuzo village in Ezza North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. On sighting the Police squad, the suspects opened fire on them which resulted to a gun battle.
At the end, 3 members of the gang including 2 male and 1 female met their waterloo following bullet injuries sustained during the exchange of gunfire.
Other suspects fled in different directions.
Meanwhile, 2 Ak47 riffles, 5 pump action guns, 6 pistols, 50 Ak47 ammunition 126 cartridges, Jack knives, cutlasses, and a 40-page notebook containing inventories of ammunition purchased by the gang were recovered. A Honda Pilot Jeep with Reg No. ABJ 163 NV used for the foiled bank robbery was also recovered by the Police team.
Unrelenting in their quest to apprehend the remaining suspects, the Police team traced the suspects to a shrine where the robbers usually go for mystical powers before embarking on their robbery operations with 2 of the suspects eventually arrested from the shrine, which led to the arrest of additional 3 members of the gang.
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The police say efforts are ongoing to arrest other fleeing members of the gang and their spiritual godfather who is the chief priest of the shrine.
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
