- Kaduna Police arrests 305 suspects for banditry, armed robbery and kidnapping in 2021, says allegation by Hon. Wase, false, unfounded
By Mohammed Mohammed
The Force Police Public Relations Officer, Force Headquarters, Mr. Frank Mba, has said operatives of the Nigeria Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT) have arrested 4 suspects in connection with the abduction and gruesome killing of the late Mrs. Nneka Nwanyi-Sunday Emeh Kalu.
The deceased house wife who was earlier reported missing and later found dead in a cassava farm on 29th August, 2021 in Ngugworo Community in Nguzu Edda in Afikpo South, Ebonyi State.
The suspects arrested are: Irem Ifeanyi Mbah, Igwe Anya Chima, Okorie Okam and Emeh Kalu: the husband of the deceased and the pr incipal suspect. The suspects are within the age bracket of 25 – 40 years and all native of Nguzu Edda village in Afikpo South Local Council Area of Ebonyi State.
Investigations into the death of the victim follow complaint received from the people of Ngugworo community, Ebonyi State, a border town to Abia State where the victim resided, when the decomposing body of the late Mrs. Kalu was discovered in their community.
The discrete investigations carried out by the Police team led to the arrest of the four suspects, CP Mba, added.
According to him, further investigations by the Police team revealed that Emeh Kalu, the husband of the deceased, in a bid to fraudulently and hastily ‘inherit’ his wife’s numerous assets including landed property, houses, money in bank and thriving business, procured the services of 5 other criminal elements to stage the abduction of his wife by luring her to meet him at a junction to pick up somethings for the house.
Investigations, he said revealed how the criminals strangled her to death after obtaining necessary information on the whereabouts of title documents and other relevant papers of her possessions.
Efforts are being intensified to arrest other suspects and persons indicted in the matter with a view to concluding the investigations.
The Force, while condoling the family of the deceased for the unfortunate loss, enjoined families and relatives to be their “brother’s keeper” and provide prompt information to the Police that would assist in proactively containing crimes and all forms of gender-based violence.
All the suspects would be arraigned in court on completion of investigation, he said.
Meanwhile, the kaduna Police Command, have said that its attention has been drawn to a publication making the rounds in the media, alleging complicity and compromise on the part of the Police in the fight against banditry in Kaduna State, purported to have emanated from the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase.
The command, in a statement, said within the past eleven months, it has been at the fore in the fight against banditry, armed robbery and kidnapping in the state.
This has led to the arrest of a total of 305 suspects for involvement in the series of banditry attacks, armed robbery and kidnapping operations on the Kaduna-Abuja highway and other localities in Kaduna State.
Out of these, it added that 242 suspects are being prosecuted at various courts within the State, explaining that over 161 sophisticated firearms and weapons, and 2,924 ammunition were recovered by the Police in the various crime fighting operations. Also, 168 kidnap victims were successfully rescued and reunited with their families.
The statement said: “The Command therefore wishes to state unequivocally that at no time has it connived, aided or abetted the commission of these heinous crimes in the State.
“The report that bandits who were arrested by the Police were subsequently released is unfounded and misleading. The provision of the law is clear as to the role of the Police within the gamut of the criminal justice system including its statutory powers touching on the investigation, apprehension and prosecution of criminal offenders.
“The Command under the leadership of Commissioner of Police, CP Mudassiru Abdullahi, will remain focused in the discharge of these responsibilities.
“The Command enjoins all stakeholders in the fight against insecurity to desist from making comments capable of undermining the fight against banditry and other crimes, not just in Kaduna state but the country at large.”