Imo Police smash robbery gang

By Chidiebere Iwuoha
Owerri

The Police in Imo State have smashed a five-man armed robbery gang, which specializes in robbing shop owners at the popular Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Junction, in Owerri, the Imo State capital.
Four members of the gang were also gunned down during the exchange of gun fire between the gang and the Police, even as other members of the gang were arrested.
This is even as the command paraded a student of the Imo State University, Owerri, Ifeanyichukwu Nwafor, a native of Abukwa, Umuobom in Ideato South LGA and a 19-year-old, Valentine Eke, for being in possession of fire arms.
Blueprint gathered that the firearms were concealed inside a note book cut to size.
Parading the suspects before journalists at the command headquarters, the Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Abdulmajid Ali, said trouble started for the gang they robbed a shop at the Poly Junction while operating with an ash-coloured Toyota Corolla,
He said the gang was intercepted by a Police patrol team following tip off and during the ensuing gun battle four members of the gang sustained serious injuries but were confirmed dead when they were rushed to the Federal Medical Centre.
He said,  a member of the gang, Lucky Amaechi, 23, a native of Umuayika Ngor-Okpala council area of the state, was arrested unhurt and was paraded alongside other suspects.
The police boss also paraded a 23-year-old Chinwendu Ogu, a tricycle rider from Umueke in Ibeku LGA of Abia State, who was a member of one-chance robbers who robbed two ladies and pushed them out from a moving tricycle along Aba Road.
According to the commissioner, Items recovered from the suspects include: one English made double barrel cut to size, one locally made single barrel gun with six rounds of cartridges; one locally made pistol,  with two live cartridges; and one automatic pump action with 25 live cartridges.