Briefing journalists in his office at Amawbia, the State Commissioner of Police, Usman Gwary said one of the suspects, an arms dealer, Mr. Onyebuchi Obiekezie, hails from Imo State , and has a shop at the Main Market, Onitsha and has been in the business of selling arms illegally to criminals for over ten years.
Gwary stated that the police recovered automatic pump action riffles, double barrel guns and some cartridges from the suspects, while the suspects had provided useful information on whereabouts of two other members of the gang as well as where more arms were hidden.
He assured that the ongoing mop up operation at Onitsha was still on and was being extended to Nnewi and Awka, adding that the successes recorded so far were made possible because of the support given to them by Governor Obiano, noting that his morale and financial assistance had raised the morale of policemen and inspired them to work harder.
The Commissioner also disclosed that the police arrested two kidnap suspects, Mr. Anthony Okweke from Ezi in Ebonyi State and Ejike Okosa from Oraifite, Anambra State who had allegedly confessed to several acts of kidnapping including the recent kidnapping of a certain woman at Ebenebe who had been rescued and recovery of two brown pistols and a rifle from the suspects.
He explained that the police equally rescued a kidnap victim who was taken from Inland Town Onitsha and following a distress call, the police swung into action and intercepted the kidnappers who escaped into the bush, abandoning their victims in their red-coloured Honda car from where three 47 Rifles and ten magazines loaded with 100 rounds of 7.6 mm live ammunition were recovered.
He said the police have equally uncovered a new kind of child trafficking in which a 13 year-old girl, little Ifeyinwa Okafor lured and carried away a three-year old, Nkemdilim Okoye from Afor-Igwe primary school, Ogidi to Awkuzu, where she was staying with an aunt as a house help.
Parading the suspects at SARS headquarters Awkuzu, the Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Emeka Chukwuemeka added that a suspect was arrested in connection with the kidnapping of one Emmanuel Udemba at 33-Axis, Onitsha. He said that Udemba’s Blackberry phone was recovered from a girl who led the police to arrest the suspect.
The PPRO also paraded a Medical Doctor, Dr. Daniel Ikebuilo of Nkemefuna Hospital and Maternity, Umunnachi, who allegedly specialized in selling of babies delivered in his hospital.
According to him, the doctor also sponsored young girls to get pregnant and kept them until delivery after which he would pay them off and sell the babies.
When interviewed, Dr. Ikebuilo admitted that he had a Hospital and a Children’s Home but claimed that the institutions were properly registered and licensed.
Also speaking, the mother of the rescued three-year old girl, Mrs Patricia Okoye confirmed that her child was kidnapped on Tuesday, April 1, this year from the school premises.
When questioned, the 13 year old suspect, Ifeyinwa Okafor claimed that she picked the child at Afor-Igwe Market, Umunnachi and took her to Awkuzu.
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