A Police Corporal, Cpl. Bright Okay Wamadi (now dismissed), was among gangs of suspected armed robbers paraded by the Rivers State Police Command in Port Harcourt on Thursday.
He was paraded alongside one Samuel Charles and Michael Nwanchukwu identified by the police as other members of the robbery gang.
However, one of the gang members escaped during their arrest, CP Nwonyi Polycarp Emeka, Commissioner of Police Rivers State, who paraded the robbery suspects before journalists said.
He said the four-armed robbers were arrested in the course of investigation of the snatching of a Toyota Corolla 2005 Model with Reg. No. Rivers BNY 741 FV grey colour at gunpoint around Apostolic Church Gateway, Port Harcourt.
He said the suspects confessed to the crime, while the Police Officer Cpl. Bright Okey has been tried and dismissed upon conclusion of the investigation in line with police internal procedures.
The Police Corporal will be charged to court alongside his accomplices, the Police Commissioner said.
He said one single barrel locally made gun with one live cartridge, and a grey colour Toyota Corolla Car 2005 model, grey in colour were recovered from the suspects.
Also paraded were gang of four armed hoodlums who allegedly snatched a white Toyota Hiace bus, reg. no. KRD 310DU belonging to the Abuloma Road Association, Port Harcourt.
The armed robbers equally stole phones, other personal properties, cash sum of N167,000.00, and some truck spare parts conveyed in the said bus, valued at Three N350,000.00.
CP Nwonyi Emeka also told Journalists that a team of Police operatives trailed and arrested one Bobmanuel Disreal identified as the leader of the robbery gang in his hideout at Igbo Etche, Port Harcourt.
He said the suspect is also a member of a notorious secret cult group known as the Black Axe Confraternity, and member of a dreaded armed robbery and kidnapping syndicate led by one ‘Edu Boy,’ a strong ally to the Late Onuigwe Nwodi of the Elibrada community who shot dead about a month ago in a gun duel with Police.
The Police Commissioner also added that on Thursday, July 6, 2023 a patrol team arrested a gang of four armed robbers and recovered a Chevrolet Aveo model 204 with reg. no. EH 403 PHC, black colour, stolen from one Asueiza Geoffrey Odogu of Niger Street, Port Harcourt.
He said the car was snatched at gunpoint by four armed men on Monday July 03, 2023 at about 7.40pm along Aba Road by CFC.
Also paraded by the police commissioner was one Ikechukwu Enyinnaya who, according to him confessed to have been involved in theft of 12 cars.
He said one ash-coloured Toyota Sienna with Reg. No. FST 146 BH was recovered from him, while efforts are in top gear to arrest other gang members and recover other stolen cars.
The Police Commissioner said the suspects will be charged to court after investigations.
CP Emeka called for vigilance and urged residents to take advantage of the Police Control Room numbers in reporting suspicious activities: 08032003514 and 08098880134.