The Enugu State police have apprehended four male suspects on charges of armed robbery, unlawful possession of ammunition, and engaging in fraudulent ATM card swapping.
One of the individuals, 26-year-old Aneke Felix Ogbonna, was apprehended for allegedly engaging in the illicit activity of swapping ATM cards belonging to bank customers in the state.
The state’s police spokesperson, Daniel Ndukwe, revealed in a statement on Monday morning that the arrest occurred at a commercial bank along Agbani Road, Enugu, on 06/12/2023, around 8:30 a.m.
Ndukwe further explained that the suspect and his accomplices, who managed to evade capture, had surreptitiously swapped the ATM card of a customer at the bank prior to the arrest.
He said: “Several banks’ ATM cards bearing different names were recovered from him, while he confessed to having severally committed the fraudulent act of ATM card swapping with his criminal gang members at large.”
The police further revealed that, in response to a distress call regarding an armed robbery operation on December 7, 2023, around 5 p.m., the operatives swiftly arrived at the Phase 2 axis of Independence Layout. During the operation, they apprehended one suspect, 29-year-old Chukwudi Nweze, while his accomplices managed to escape.
He added: “One locally fabricated pistol was recovered from him. Similarly, on 26/11/2023 at about 10.45 p.m., Police Operatives from the Command’s New Haven Police Division intercepted and arrested one Chibuike Omeje, 26, along Chime Avenue in New Haven, Enugu, while one locally fabricated double-barrelled pistol was recovered from him.”
“In a related development, Police Operatives of Number 3 Police Mobile Force (PMF) Enugu, while on routine stop and search duty along the Enugu/Onitsha expressway, on 06/12/2023 at about 11.50 a.m., intercepted and arrested one Alozie Clinton Chidubem aged 22, and found in his unlawful possession two live cartridges.”
The spokesperson revealed that once the ongoing investigations into the cases are completed, all the suspects will be brought before the court and prosecuted accordingly.
In the meantime, Commissioner of Police Kanayo Uzuegbu of the Enugu State Command has reiterated the police force’s strong commitment to ensuring maximum security, law, and order in the state, particularly during this festive season.
The commissioner urged the public to stay law-abiding, vigilant, and continue providing the police with credible information to help eliminate stubborn criminal elements from the state.