Fierce gun-battle in Ebonyi between the police and armed robbers has led to the killing of a deadly female robber and two others, with five suspects arrested and several guns and ammunition recovered.
The robbers were said to be those who attacked a new generation bank in Ebonyi on Tuesday, but the robbery was foiled by the police.
A statement issued by CP Frank Mba, Force Public Relations Officer, on Sunday said following investigations into the foiled bank robbery on the Onueke branch of a commercial bank in Ebonyi State which occurred on Tuesday, 27th April, ​2021; Police operatives led by the Commissioner of Police, Ebonyi State Command, on 29th April, 2021, stormed the criminal hideout of suspects indicted in the investigations located at Oriuzo village in Ezza North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
He said the suspects, on sighting the Police squad, opened fire on them.
“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,” he said.
Mba disclosed that two Ak-47 riffles, five pump action guns, six pistols, 50 Ak-47 ammunition, 126 cartridges, jack knives, cutlasses, and a 40-page notebook containing inventories of ammunition purchased by the gang were recovered.
He added that a Honda Pilot Jeep with Reg No. ABJ 163 NV used for the foiled bank robbery was also recovered by the Police Team.
According to him, 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.
Mba disclosed that 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.
He said efforts were ongoing to arrest other fleeing members of the gang and their spiritual godfather – the chief priest of the shrine.
“The Inspector General of Police, Ag. IGP Usman Alkali Baba, while commending the Commissioner of Police, Ebonyi State Police Command, CP Aliyu Garba and officers of the command, for excellently harnessing intelligence to nip the crimes in the bud, assured citizens of the renewed commitment of the Force to improving public safety and combating all forms of violent crimes across the land,” Mba said.

By Kazeem Ugbodaga