The Enugu State Police Command on Saturday announced the arrest of a dismissed soldier, one Sadik Ahmed, and an interstate criminal syndicate which specialised in armed robbery and financial fraud.

The Command’s spokesperson, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, who disclosed this in a statement on Saturday, said the arrest was achieved through coordinated operations involving the Emene Division, Crack and Octopus Tactical Squads, alongside the Neighbourhood Watch Group.

Ndukwe said that the collaboration of the units led to the arrest of eight suspects, all males and the recovery of firearms, ammunition, cash, and other stolen items.

Names of the suspects according to the statement are – Ismaila Isah (aged 23), Sadik Ahmed (a dismissed soldier, aged 28), Abbas Usman (aged 33), Mubarak Garba (aged 24), Abubakar Haruna (aged 23), Abubakar Sani (aged 32), Obiri Chukwuebuka (aged 22), and Bright Omeniru (aged 22).

Items recovered included: “Two locally made pistols loaded with a live and expended cartridge and a cash sum of three hundred thousand, four hundred and fifty Naira (N300,450) were recovered. Others are 10 laptops, land documents, 10 mobile phones, assorted jewellery and watches, one MP3 player, one headphone, four power banks, two SIM cards, footwear, and bags.”

According to the statement, the operation leading to arrest commenced on November 12, 2024, around 3:30am, when operatives from the Emene Division, supported by Neighbourhood Watch members, responded to a distress call regarding an armed robbery at an estate in Emene.

“During the operation, Ismaila Isah was apprehended with one locally made pistol, N300,450, and some stolen items, while others escaped. Ismaila was later transferred to the Crack Tactical Squad for further investigation.

“His confessional statements and subsequent discreet investigations led to the arrest of Sadik Ahmed, Abbas Usman, Mubarak Garba, Abubakar Haruna, and Abubakar Sani at their hideouts in New Garriki, Awkunanaw, Enugu. Another locally made pistol and additional stolen items were recovered.”

Ndukwe further stated that operatives from the Octopus Tactical Squad utilising an intelligence report, subsequently, arrested Obiri Chukwuebuka and Bright Omeniru in Owerri, Imo State.

According to him, “during interrogation, they admitted to using phones stolen by the syndicate to fraudulently withdraw funds from victims bank accounts. Two SIM cards from different networks were also recovered.

“Investigations reveal that the suspects confessed to committing multiple armed robberies within the Enugu metropolis and using the victims’ mobile phones’ SIM cards to also commit acts of fraud. They further confessed to moving and selling the stolen proceeds in Imo and other States. Sadik Ahmed, the dismissed soldier, admitted to exploiting his background as a former security agent to bypass checkpoints during the interstate shipment of the stolen items.”

Meanwhile, SaharaReporters could not independently ascertain whether the police claims were actually what transpired as the accused were not presented to the media for interactions.

Ndukwe, however, said that the suspects would be arraigned in court upon the conclusion of investigations.

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