Imo Police Bust Notorious Crime Syndicate, Seize Arms and Ammunition

Imo Police Crack Down on Notorious Criminals, Recover Arms and Ammunition

The Imo State Police Command has announced the arrest of three notorious criminals terrorizing the Nekede community. According to a statement released by the command’s spokesperson, ASP Okoye Henry, on Thursday, August 15, 2024, the suspects were apprehended for various crimes, including unlawful possession of firearms, armed robbery, cultism, and motorcycle snatching.

The police operation, which was carried out by operatives from the Nekede Divisional Headquarters, resulted in the seizure of locally made pistols, shotguns, and live cartridges. One of the suspects, John Chukwudi, 27, confessed to being a member of the Black Axe confraternity cult group and revealed that the gun was given to him by a syndicate member, Ugochukwu Ndubuisi, who is currently at large.

In a separate incident, Elijah Chigemezu, 23, was caught in the act of dispossessing a young man of his phone and personal belongings at gunpoint. Chigemezu confessed to the crime and was found with a locally made shotgun.

The third suspect, Chibieze Tasie, 32, was apprehended for his involvement in motorcycle snatching. He confessed to conspiring with an accomplice, Ndubuisi, to snatch motorcycles from unsuspecting riders.

The suspects have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Owerri for further investigation. The police commissioner, CP Aboki Danjuma, commended the operatives for their professionalism and urged them to sustain the tempo in the fight against crime and criminality in the state. He also appealed to the public to provide timely and actionable information on suspicious activities.