The Abia state police command has arrested one suspected fake soldier who gave his name as Okezie Chukwuebuka and his girlfriend Ugonma Arisa Kalu from Ozuabam for allegedly using military uniform to steal from people.
Speaking in Umuahia while parading the fake soldier, his accomplices and other criminals, the Commissioner of Police (CP) Leye Oyebade said that one Stephen Nwokoma reported that his phone worth N28, 000 was robbed along Uzuakoli road Umuahia.
Oyebade said that the victim said that three men and a lady with one of them dressed in a military uniform were the ones that robbed him of his valuables which led to the arrest of one Nwadi Paul by a team of mobile police men.
The Abia CP said that the arrest of Nwadi led to the arrest of the fake soldier with his girlfriend in a hotel room in Umuahia and the items recovered from him include, two pairs of army camouflage uniform, UBA cheque leaves belonging to Uwajumogu Ikechukwu.
He said that other items recovered from them are fidelity bank cheque leaves belonging to Eni Virginia Enyinnaya, one Peace Corps identity card for Nwadi, one UBA ATM belonging John Oluchi, one Skye bank cheque leaflet belonging to Eni Virginia Enyinnaya among others.
Oyebade said that the suspects are members of robbery gang which has been terrorizing the state capital and its residents and dispossessing them of their valuables.
Responding to questions from newsmen, Chukwuebuka said that he was dismissed from the army after running away from the battle field for lack of weapons and after being court marshaled, he was dismissed.
Chukwuebuka said that he had a quarrel with one of his friend and that he collected his phone from him, “He (my friend) then went to the police to report which led to his arrest and his girlfriend”.
The Abia CP said that with the arrest of the notorious kidnapper, Evans by the IGP’s team that the era of kidnapping being profitable is gradually coming to an end as he has been talking and very soon his accomplices in any part of the country will be apprehended.
He said that the new strategies the command has set in place and the free giving of information has led to the rescue of a kidnapped victim, Fredrick Osuya of Rainbow feeds limited.
Oyebade said that the victim was kidnapped while driving home in his black Toyota Corolla car along Ogbor hill area of Aba, “The men of Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) swung into action and rescued the victim at Umuokeonyi village in Obingwa council area of the state”.
The CP said, “The hoodlums on sighting the police team escaped into the bush and abandoned their hostage, we have to commend the general public for giving us prompt information which led to the rescue of the kidnapped victim”.
He said, “Items recovered from them include one cut to size locally made double barrel gun, one locally made revolver gun and five live cartridges while we are still looking for the victim’s car”.
In his speech the victim, Osuya said that he was kidnapped while coming back to his house after buying some drugs, “As I was driving home a white Toyota Hilux van double crossed me and nine people came out and said that they are kidnappers and assassins, today is your day”.
Osuya said, “They forced me out from my car and took me into their van while my car was in front and they drove for a while and later stopped, where they removed my dress and tied my hands and took me into the bush”.
“They took my ATM card and asked me to give them the pin code or they will kill me, around early hours of the following morning I heard gun shots and later some men came and said they are SARS people, that was how I was rescued”,
In his reaction to the rescuing of the kidnapped victim, Oyebade said, “We were able to rescue him because information was given to us and we moved in immediately, so I want to appeal to people to always give us information to enable us work better and faster”.
The CP also paraded other suspected criminals including armed robbers, burglars, cultists and recovered stolen vehicles some of which were stolen outside the state and brought in to be sold in the state.
