The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has arrested 23 suspected armed robbers, who specialised in robbing and snatching vehicles in the FCT.
The Police also recovered a total of 13 stolen cars from the robbers and the receivers, who helped them rebrand and sell off the stolen vehicles.
Parading the suspects in Abuja on Wednesday, the FCT Commissioner of Police, CP Olatunji Disu, said it was part of the command’s intensified efforts to ensure the safety and security of residents’ lives and properties in the capital city.
While giving a breakdown of the suspects arrested, the Commissioner of Police said the Command’s operatives, acting on credible intelligence, trailed and arrested Aji Thomas, 32, from Gwoza LGA, Borno State; Amobi Ndukwu, 40, from Agwu LGA, Enugu State, and Amachi Sampson, 26, from Imo State, who all belonged to a notorious four-man gang who specialised in armed robbery and car-snatching.
He said the gang operated within FCT, Nasarawa, Kaduna and Kano States and it was led by one Chiderbere (surname unknown), who is currently at large.
The FCT Police boss explained that, “their mode of operation includes trailing unsuspecting victims to a convenient location where they strike, dispossessing their victims of their vehicles and any other valuables they can find. They proceed to disengage any tracking gadgets they can find installed in the vehicle, taking it to any of the above-mentioned states where they have ready buyers on standby. It is important to note that two of the suspects; Thomas and Ndukwe are ex-convicts and have served their time in the prison and released, but were still on the commands watchlist went back to rejoin their other gang members who escaped arrest the last time.”
The suspects were arrested while attempting to sell a stolen blue Toyota Corolla vehicle with Registration Number KTW 2155D to one of the Command’s undercover operatives.
During interview and interrogation, they admitted to operating in Garki area of Abuja for the past year and a half, claiming responsibility for numerous car thefts within the metropolis.
The CP also said a receiver of stolen cars, Joseph Abang, was arrested after being found in possession of a Honda Accord 2006 model, ash in colour with registration Number RBC 40 NW.
The owner of the car, Mr. Philemon Olaoluwa, had released the car to his mechanic, who works at Apo Mechanic Village, Abdulhamid Saidu, who absconded with the car and sold it to Abang, who stays in Jos, Plateau State.
The police tracked the car to Rayfield Jos, Plateau State, where it was found in possession of Abang who confessed that he received the vehicle from his accomplice, Abdulhamid Saidu.
During interview and interrogation, Abang confessed that he specialised in receiving, rebranding and selling off stolen vehicles from his accomplices.
Abang was arrested at his workshop, with two additional vehicles suspected to be stolen— a Hyundai Accent and Peugeot 208—undergoing rebranding.
