16-Yr-Old Robbery Specialist, Others Arrested During Police GunBattle With Robbers

One person was gunned down, while three others sustained injuries
during gun battle between the police and suspected robbers at
Ngborokpo village in Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra
State, yesterday.
Also, 17 suspected robbers were arrested by the police where three
AK 47 riffles, two pump action guns, four locally made pistols, some
quantity of ammunition, a television set and a teddy bear which
they used in concealing guns were recovered.
Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, of the Anambra State Police
command, Mr. Emeka Chukwuemeka, told newsmen at the
headquarters of the Special Anti Robbery Squad, SARS, Awkuzu, Oyi
Local Government Area, that the 17 suspects were arrested in
various parts of the state for variuos offences, including bank
robbery.
Among the suspects was a 16-year-old Ifeanyi Onwe said to be a
specialist in bank robbery. He was said to be using beautiful girls to
track people that withdrew large sums of money from the banks.
According to Chukwuemeka, some of the suspects were in the habit
of blocking major roads in Nawfia, Awgbu, Ufuma, Abba, among
other areas where they robbed people.
The PPRO alleged that some of the suspects were also involved in
the killing of a 55-year-old man in Awgbu and another woman at
Nanka four days ago, as well as in the molesting of girls in parts of the
state.
He said: “To the ordinary eye, the TV set and the teddy bear they
were carrying were just what they were meant to be. But for this
gang, what they do is to open the TV set and rip open the teddy’s
tommy, conceal pistols and ammunition in them and when they
enter any vehicle, nobody will know they had guns until they begin
operation.
“They invented this style to escape from the police and other
security agencies, but our men were able to beat them to their
game.”
Ifeanyi Onwe, the 16-year-old suspect confessed to the crime,
admitting that he used to plant young girls in banks in Onitsha to
give members of his gang information concerning withdrawals.
He said: “I was a student in a secondary school in Onitsha before I
dropped out in JSS 1 because my parents could not fund my
education. Thereafter, I met a friend who introduced me into this
deal. We have carried out many robbery operations in Onitsha and
its environs.”
Another suspect simply identified as Ebuka said he was arrested by
SARS operatives when he went to visit his friend.
He said: “I went to visit my friend without knowing that he was
being wanted by the police for robbery. As I was still there, SARS
operative broke into the house and arrested all of us. I don’t really
know what I did.