The Imo State Police Command has recorded a breakthrough in its crackdown on violent crime with the arrest of two suspected armed robbers and the recovery of a stolen motorcycle and a pump-action rifle in Owerri.
The development was contained in a statement released on Monday by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Henry Okoye, who said the suspects were apprehended following actionable intelligence.
Okoye disclosed that operatives attached to the New Owerri Division carried out the operation on April 3, leading to the arrest of two 25-year-old suspects, Sohnani Bitrus and Burfa Selkap, both indigenes of Langtang Local Government Area of Plateau State.
Investigations, according to the police, showed that the suspects allegedly stormed the residence of one Joel Andrew in the early hours of the day, around 4 a.m., where they reportedly used a firearm to intimidate him before making away with his red Daylong motorcycle with registration number NWA765QT.
“The stolen motorcycle has been recovered,” the statement noted.
The police further revealed that a follow-up operation led to the discovery of the suspects’ hideout in Okwu-Uratta, within Owerri North Local Government Area, where a pump-action rifle and a machete were also retrieved.
Okoye added that the suspects would be handed over to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Owerri for further interrogation, as efforts intensify to track down other fleeing members of the gang.
He reiterated the commitment of the Commissioner of Police, Audu Bosso, to safeguarding lives and property, especially during the Easter period, noting that security has been reinforced across the state.
Residents were also encouraged to remain security-conscious and promptly report suspicious activities to the police through appropriate channels.
