Police operatives in Ebonyi State have intercepted 753 live ammunition of General-Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) concealed in a sack while being transported in a commercial vehicle from Abakaliki, Ebonyi State to Umuahia, Abia State.
Frank Mba, a Commissioner of Police and Force Public Relations Officer, said in a statement on Sunday, the feat was achieved through intelligence-driven covert operation, which led to the interception and recovery of the deadly ammunition.
He said it resulted from efforts by the Force to identify and crack down on criminal networks and supply chains for weapons and ammunition around the country, and comprehensive investigations aimed at bringing to book all persons linked to the crime are ongoing.
Similarly, Mba said in furtherance of investigations into the foiled bank robbery on the Onueke branch of a commercial bank in Ebonyi State which occurred in January, 2021, police operatives led by the Commissioner of Police, Ebonyi State Command, on April 29, stormed a hideout of suspects indicted in the investigations located at Oriuzo village in Ezza North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
“The suspects on sighting the Police squad, opened fire on them, and the Police team engaged them gallantly and professionally. At the end, three members of the gang including two male and one female met their waterloo following bullet injuries sustained during the exchange of gunfire. Other suspects fled in different directions.
Two Ak47 riffles, five pump action guns, six pistols, 50 Ak47 ammunition, 126 cartridges, Jack knives, cutlasses, and a 40-page notebook containing inventories of ammunition purchased by the gang were recovered. A Honda Pilot Jeep with Reg No. ABJ 163 NV used for the foiled bank robbery was also recovered by the Police Team”, Mba said.
He added, “Unrelenting in their quest to apprehend the remaining suspects, the Police team traced the suspects to a shrine where the robbers usually go for mystical powers before embarking on their robbery operations. Two of the suspects were eventually arrested from the supposedly safe haven – the shrine, which led to the arrest of additional three members of the gang. Meanwhile, efforts are ongoing to arrest other fleeing members of the gang and their spiritual godfather – the chief priest of the shrine”.
