The Imo state police command over the weekend at the state capital in Owerri went into jubilation galore over the defeat of one of the most wanted armed robbers in the state.
The spokesperson for the Imo state police command Andrew Enwerem, who spoke to newsmen, said the robber, a 27 year old Ihechi Nwankwo who had been on the police wanted list for a long time was killed in Umuahia and the body brought back to Owerri.
According Enwerem Ihechi Nwankwo hailed from Amaumara in the Ezinihitte Mbaise area of the state, once robbed a customer at Access Bank at Ahiara Junction and went away with about 8 million naira and also robbed one Jovita Enwerem of N650, 000 at gunpoint at Ahiara Junction on June 21.
However, Nwankwo met his waterloo after he masterminded a robbery attack on a Chinese expatriate in Owerri and dispossessed him of his N10m, while his police guard was killed in the criminal operation.
Enwerem while briefing journalists said “On September 28, the state police command control room was alerted to a robbery attack along Wetheral Road, Owerri. A customer of the Wetheral Road branch of Zenith Bank had gone to the bank to withdraw N50m. On their way, along Wetheral Road, they were confronted by a daredevil armed robbery gang operating with a grey colour Toyota Corolla with number plate ABJ 951AA that blocked the convoy and immediately opened fire on the police escorts.”
The robbers were said to have engaged the police in a gun battle duel but they were overpowered by the police and escaped to Abia state while three policemen sustained series of gunshot injuries.
Speaking further, the police spokesperson said the criminals escaped from the robbery scene but their vehicle was riddled with bullets. We, however, contacted police in the neighboring states to be on the lookout.
Subsequently, the criminals were intercepted in Umuahia, Abia State, where they engaged the operatives in a gun duel, one of the gang members was gunned down while the others escaped with bullet injuries and the ash colored Toyota Corolla car was also recovered.”
Further investigations by the command’s Special Anti-Robbery Squad operatives revealed that the elder brother of the slain robber, one Chibuike Nwankwo, 42, and Chukwudi Obinwanne, a native of Ugiri in Isiala Mbano LGA of the state, were being held at SARS cell for bank robbery cases.
