PRESS BRIEFING BY CP ZAKI M. AHMED HIGHLIGHTING THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE COMMAND A WEEK AFTER MY ASSUMING DUTY.
22ND MARCH,2017
GENTLEMEN OF THE PRESS:
Let me sincerely appreciate you for your timely response to share with me the modest Achievements the Command has recorded a week after my assumption of duty as the Commissioner of Police Rivers State.
You will recall vividly that in my maiden speech last week, I did not mince words when I told you that I am in the State to do the business of crime fighting and swore to bring crime and criminality to their barest minimum. Frankly I am not going back on my avowment. I will ensure that Rivers State must not be a safe haven for criminals. I have therefore hit the ground running with the following Achievements recorded upon my assumption of duty a week ago. It is my pleasure to present to you the following Achivements.
To wit:
1. ARMED ROBBERY:
On 15/3/2017 at about 1930hrs Operatives of SARS Bori while on patrol along Tai in Ogoni area intercepted three man gang of Armed Robbers. A fierce gun battle that ensued led to the arrest of one of the Armed Robbers, identified as Kingsley Jacob ‘m’ in whose possession one Barreta pistol with three rounds of live Ammunition were recovered. Two others escaped into the bush with gun bullets wounds. Investigation is ongoing and efforts are on to arrest his fleeing members.
2. On 18/3/2017 at about 1930hrs, the Anti – crime Patrol team of Rumueprikon Division led by the DPO CSP Emmanuel Wagbara responding to a distress call from control room mobilized his men and strategically positioned themselves at wimpey junction when a Toyota camery saloon car with Reg. No. Lagos EPE 185CF on sighting them attempted to escape and ran into a gutter. The Robbers jumped out immediately and started firing sporadically but eventually one of the Robbers was arrested, identified as Sorbari Godstime Apolos ‘m’ aka ‘Manslaughter’ from Kono Bue in Ogoni. The hoodlums were said to have kidnapped a medical Doctor from his clinic at Rumukwachi/Ogbogoro area who they had put in the booth of the car.
Items recovered from the car include
(i) One Ak 47 Riffle
(ii) Three Magazines
(iii) Eight Rounds of Ammunition
(iv) Toyota Camry saloon car belonging to the Doctor
The suspect is helping the Police in Investigation and efforts have been intensified to arrest the two gang members that escaped.
3. On 18/3/2017 at about 1710hrs Anti – Cultism unit of the Command arrested one Goodluck Biomabo ‘m’ a self confessed cultist who led the team to Afikpo water front Diobu PH where one Suzy Kalaobu West ‘f’ alias Hajiya was arrested and in her house the Operatives recovered the following Exhibits
(i) Four locally made pistols
(ii) Two. 9mm live Ammunition
(iii) Lap top
(iv)Five different phones
The suspects are helping the Police and will be charged to court as soon as Investigation is concluded.
4. On 14/3/2017 at about 1600hrs Armed Robbers were seen robbing at Alaeto Nchia market Road. The Divisional Anti Crime Team was alerted and swiftly moved to the scene. The gun battle that ensued between the Police and the hoodlums led to the death of one of the Armed Robbers, identified as Benjamin Nworgu alias Lord Ben, whose gang has been terrorizing the Eleme area.
Items recovered from them include:
(i) One double barrel gun
(ii) Four rounds of live Ammunition
(iii) One Axe.
Efforts are on to track and arrest other fleeing members of the gang
5. On 18/3/2017 at about 1530hrs, Operatives of SARS while on routine Patrol along Rulepoku PH arrested one Onyekachi Agbakuru ‘m’ in whose possession the Police Team recovered eleven stolen assorted types of Laptops and Nineteen handsets. He is currently helping the Police in Investigation and will be due in court soonest.
6. On 15/3/2017 at about 0530hrs SARS operatives on Patrol at Elechi Beach PH arrested.
(i) Anthony Durmere ‘m’ 25yrs
(ii) Kingsley Dappa ‘m’ 22yrs
The suspects were arrested and the following Exhibits recovered from them;
(i) Two locally made pistol
(ii) One cartridge
(iii) One Army Uniform.
They are helping the Police and will be charged to court as soon as Investigation is over.
7. On 13/3/2017 at about 0730hrs SARS Operatives along Oginigba Road arrested one Sunny Okeke m 23yrs and recovered one locally made pistol and two .9mm live Ammunition. The Suspect has confessed to several Armed Robbery cases and is helping the Police with useful Information and will be charged to court as soon as Investigation is over.
8. On 16/3/2017 at about 1500hrs SARS Operatives acting on credible Intelligence mobilized to Ibaa town in Emohua LGA in the house of one Solomon Opete where two locally made barrel guns were recovered.
The suspect is helping the Police in Investigation.
9. On 19/3/2017at about 1400hrs, Operatives of SARS on Patrol responded to distress call at Niger street PH where they arrested.
(i) David Long John m
(ii) Kingsley Jacob m
(iii)Baritom Byor m
The suspects were arrested and items recovered from them include;
(i)Two locally made pistol with four .9mm live Ammunition
They are currently being investigated and will be charged to court as soon as investigation is concluded.
10. On 17/3/2017 at about 1830hrs SARS Operatives acting on information foiled a Robbery attack at Iriebe where a dummy gun and .9mm live Ammunition were recovered from the suspect, one Hope Saturday m 22yrs while others escaped. Investigation is ongoing and will be charged to court soonest.
11. On 19/3/2017 at about 0820hrs Operatives of SARS at Obiri Ikwerre intercepted one Charles Agbogo m 24yrs and recovered from him three locally made pistols and three live Ammunition. He is helping the Police in Investigation and will be charged to court as soon as Investigation is over.
12. On 18/3/2017 at about 0600hrs SARS Operatives on Patrol along Igwuruta Road arrested Henry Wokoma m 24yrs and Collins Ubezie 22yrs. They were arrested with two locally made Revolver pistol and are helping the Police on Investigation
KIDNAPPING
The Command has also declared serious onslaught against kidnappers and in the last one week recorded the following success stories as shown below.
13. On 14/3/2017 at 1600hrs one Hon. Ndubuisi Wosu ‘m’ of Eneka Town was kidnapped by four armed men, who took him to an unknown destination. Following a discreet investigation, through intelligence gathering, one Sunday Aniebet ‘m’ of Eneka Town a sales boy to the victim was arrested. On interrogation he confessed to have committed the crime with his gang members, who took his master to a bush in Eneka and murdered him in cold blood. He led Operatives of the Anti-kidnapping Unit to an uncompleted building in Eneka bush where the decomposed body of the master was recovered and now deposited in the mortuary. He is still helping the Police and efforts are high to arrest members of the gang.
14. On 18/3/2017 at about 0130hrs, the Anti-Kidnapping Unit led by the Commander, Sp Edward Shadare, stormed a criminal camp at Ubima in Ikwere LGA, where two kidnapped hostages, a male and female who were Kidnapped at Egbelu and Ada George respectively on 10/3/2017 on sighting the Police the hoodlums opened fire and in a return fire three of the kidnappers were fatally wounded. The kidnapped victims were rescued unhurt and have reunited with their families.
Items recovered from them include;
(i) One Ak 47 Riffle
(ii) Twenty live Ammunition
(iii) One pump action gun
(iv) Ten live cartridges
(v) One locally made gun
(vi) Charms
Efforts are on to arrest other members of the gang.
15. On 18/3/2017 at about 1400hrs Men of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit arrested one Emmanuel Edward ‘m’ aged 29yrs of Lagos toll gate, the suspect is said to be a notorious kidnapper whose gang was responsible for the kidnap of one Andrew Uwefor ‘m’ of No.1 Peace Avenue, who was kidnapped on 20/2/2013 in which a ransom of Eight Million Naira (N8M) was paid. The breakthrough was made possible by persistence follow up of the kidnappers GTbank Account which was placed on alert. He was tracked and arrested in Ogun State GTbank Branch. The Suspect has confessed to the crime and mentioned three other members of his gang who are still at large. He is helping the Police in our Investigation.
16. On 20/3/2017 at about 1930hrs Dr. Mrs Ugonma Izu of the UPTH was kidnapped by unknown gun men on 24/2/2017 but was rescued 21/3/2017 at Aluu by the IGPs Monitoring Unit in an Operation that lasted for hours, three of the abductors were fatally wounded. The leader of the gang identified as Smart surname unknown escaped.
Items recovered from them include:
(i) The victims Jeep
(ii) One locally made short gun
(iii) Four live cartridges
(iv) Two expended cartridges
The kidnapped victim has been debriefed and reunited with her family.
17. The IGPs Monitoring Team led by CSP Ben Igwe through Intelligence gathering arrested Goodluck Wodi ‘m’ and Joy Emmanuel ‘f’, who were arrested with the sum of Three Hundred and fifty thousand Naira (N350,000.00) being part of ransom paid for the release of one Kelechi Wagbara ‘m’ who was kidnapped at the Obiri Ikwerre fly over. The suspect led the Operatives to a forest in Emouha and on sighting the Police the hoodlums opened fire at the end of the Operation there kidnapped victims were rescued unhurt and have reunite with their families. The suspects arrested are helping the Police in Investigation.
18. The IGP Monitoring Unit upon a distress call by one Oseh Uguchukwu of Israel Amadi close Iwofe, who complained that her husband was kidnapped. Following a tip off the Unit intercepted a mazda saloon car with Reg No.ABM 194 KU RS at Umuigwe Aluu. The occupants were three in number on sighting the Police jumped out of their car and fled. On searching the car the sum of One Million One Hundred and Sixty One Thousand Six |Hundred and Sixty Naira (N1,161,660. 00) was found in the booth of the car with one Nokia GSM phone No.08099141084 which was later traced to belong to one Edeh Mathew. A follow up Investigation led the team to Otukpo in Benue State. The suspect confessed and mentioned his gang members to include;
(i) Ohinda Chukwu ‘m’ of Obio/Akpor
(ii) Chima Ugweh ‘m’ alias LION of Rumuoparaeli who were immediately arrested and currently helping the Police in Investigation.
19. The IGP Monitoring Unit while responding to a distress call on the Kidnap of Dr Ugonma Ezu ‘f’ Chief Medical Consultant with UPTH PH, immediately did a follow up and shortly after her Highlander Jeep was recovered at a village in Umuoku Aluu. After engaging the Operatives in a gun duel, Friday Nkoro ‘m’ 22yrs of Sogho Khana, Wisdom Owah ‘m’ 24yrs of Abua LGA and Viagbor Emmanuel of Bia karn Khana were demobilized with bullet wounds. Consequently the Dr was rescued from their camp in good health without ransom.
Items recovered from them include:
(i) One locally made revolver pistol
(ii) Four live Ammunition.
The injured suspects are currently receiving medical attention and helping the Police to recover their operational weapons.
20. On 20/3/2017 at about 0300hrs, Operatives of the IGP Monitoring Unit led by CSP Ben Igwe acting on credible intelligence stormed the houses of John Oteh ‘m’ aged 25yrs and Atochi Oteh aged 41yrs both of Rumuakunde in Emohua LGA where on searching their houses the following items were recovered;
(i) One Military long Assault Rifle (LAR) with No.770786
(ii) One locally made double barrel gun
(iii) Three locally made single barrel gun
(v) Two locally made cut- to size single barrel gun
(vi) One locally made pistol
(vii) Twenty live cartridges
The suspects are said to be keeping and repairing Arms for one Akalamu Oluwene aka KALABARI Rumuakunde Town. He is the leader of a notorious kidnapping gang terrorizing the East/West Road. They are currently helping the Police and will be charged to court as soon as Investigation is over.
21. On 20/3/2017 at about 1230hrs through a distress call from one Okonkwo Patrick ‘m’ of No.10 Road 28 Federal Housing Estate Owerri Imo State. That his daughter by name Okonkwo Lena Chiamaka a student of FUTO was kidnapped at Omagwa in Ikwerre LGA Rivers State by unknown gunmen. As a follow up, Operatives of the IGP Monitoring Unit raided a kidnapping camp at Aluu were Michael Obi ‘m’ 34yrs of Boki Cross River State and Kelechi Ndukwu ‘m’ 30yrs of Mbaise were arrested. The suspects and others who escaped engaged the Police but were repelled where they got bullet wounds. Consequently the victims were rescued unhurt and unconditionally. The suspects are currently receiving medical attention.
Items recovered from them include:
(i) One locally made revolver pistol
(ii) Four live Ammunition
(iii) One expended Ammunition
Efforts are on to arrest the fleeing members of the gang.
22. On 20/3/2017at about 1800hrs, while on Patrol the IGP Monitoring Unit at the Delta park of Uniport arrested AkinozaTemitope ‘m’ and Temmy Mark Brown ‘m both of University of Science And Technology, they were arrested with one locally made pistol. They are said to be robbers who regularly rob students at gun point in University of Port Hacourt, and initiate fresh students into cultism. They are helping the Police and will be charged to court as soon as Investigation is over.
CULTISM
The Anti- Cultism Unit of the Command in the last one week arrested the following suspects who have confessed to belonging to different cult groups terrorizing the people of Rivers State. They were arrested from different parts of the State at different times with deferent Exhibits.
(i) John Wisdom Boma m
(ii) Opibo Ezekiel m
(iii) Newman Ejimabu m
(iv) Godswill Friday m 19yrs
(v) Godspower Ezeokpara m 20yrs
They are helping the Police and will be charged to court soonest.
SUMMARY OF ACHIEVEMENTS
NO. OF SUSPECTED ARMED ROBBERS ARRESTED - 15
NO. OF SUSPECTED KIDNAPPERS ARRESTED - 14
NO. OF SUSPECTED CULTISTS ARRESTED - 5
NO. OF ARMED ROBBERS FATALLY WOUNDED - 4
NO. OF ARMS RECOVERED - 20
NO. OF AMMUNITION RECOVERED - 100
NO. OF MAGAZINES RECOVERED - 12
NO. OF VEHICLES RECOVERED - 6
SOME CHARMS
GENTLEMEN OF THE PRESS: Let me for the Umpteenth time sincerely thank you for coming and always being ready and available to cover our activities even at short notice. I am just a week old here but sincerely i appreciate the working relationship existing between you and the Command. I enjoin you to keep it. Together we shall fight crime and criminality in the State.
Lastly let me also thank the good people of the State for their continued support and partnership, I urge them to have confidence in the Command as we are poised to reducing crime to a tolerable level in the State.
Thank you
CP ZAKI MOHAMMED AHMED
COMMISSIONER OF POLICE,
RIVERS STATE POLICE COMMAND,
PORT HARCOURT
