Enugu police seize 36 suspects, move to halt hostilities over herdsmen

The Police in Enugu on Monday paraded 36 criminal suspects arrested in various parts of the state, just as it announced its readiness to contain hostilities in some communities in the stat over the activities of Fulani herdsmen.

In what the command dubbed ‘harvest of arrests’, those arrested included suspected armed robbers and kidnappers, cultists, fake currency dealers, swindlers, car snatchers as well as three members of a gang allegedly said to have participated in the killing of a son of a Police Inspector and a hotel manager.

State Police Commissioner, Mr Nwodibo Ekechukwu, said the arrests were made last month following intelligence reports received by the command, stressing that of the number, one died while being taken to the Police headquarters after he jumped from the Police van and smashed his head on the road.

Given further insight into the arrests, he said a notorious kidnap syndicate operating at Nsukka axis , which included Emenike
Ononyibo, Jude Mammah and Mba Chime, all of Udenu Local Council had Kidnapped Mrs Mata Elochukwu and held her hostage for four days,explaining that the command had arrested the gang at their hideout in Obolloafor following intelligence report.

He said Aji Esom from Makurdi, Benue State was arrested for unlawful possession of firearms around 10.00pm in a red Golf car as he was coming into the state to operate.

According to the commissioner, another gang of armed robbery suspects led by Ndife Vincent from Anambra state was arrested while trying to dispossess a lady her vehicle at Transekulu, while Chukwu Gabriel from

Ebonyi state, Onyekachi Mammah and Nwachukwu Friday were arrested after dispossessing their victims at gun point.

He disclosed that another five robbery suspects made up of Okafor Friday, Emeka Ugwu, Obi Uchechukwu, Friday Nwafor and Nzebuaku Oji who specialized in “jumping suddenly on the road and dispossessing people of their wares which they sell at give-away prices” were also arrested by his men.

He stated that nine suspected cultists arrested from various parts of the state include students, traders, a mechanic and barber.

Some of the suspects interviewed owned up to the crimes including 19 year-old, Chubuike, who said he was arrested following the naked picture of his ex-girl friend which he posted on internet after they parted ways.

On the menace of herdsmen, especially the recent incident at Uzo-Uwani Local Council where lives and homes were destroyed, the commissioner, said several measures had been put in place to avoid a recurrence.

He said he had met with the Fulani communities as well as traditional rulers, where the various issues including allegations of trying to steal cows, prevention of pasture and violent attacks on farmlands were identified.