Anambra state police and robbers in gun combat

DAILY SUN - Anambra State Police Command yesterday made another bold statement in its resolve to rid the state of armed robbers and kidnappers when it overpowered an armed robbery gang, killing one member and arresting four.

The encounter with the armed robbery gang caused pandemonium in Agulu community in Anaocha Local Government Area of the state where the suspected armed robbers engaged members of the state Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) in a gun battle.

Residents of the area ran helter-skelter for safety following the sustained exchange of gunfire between the police and the hoodlums.

 Confirming the incident, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Raphael Uzoigwe, disclosed that the gang was the same that attacked and killed two vigilance group members at Ogidi in Idemili North Local Government Area yesterday morning.

The gang, Uzoigwe further said was responsible for the early morning robberies and kidnapping operations from Nkpor to Umuoji to Ojoto, Nnobi.

He said: “Sometimes, they operate between Abatete, Neni, Agulu, among other neighbouring communities.”

Uzoigwe said police recovered from the gang one AK-47 rifle, three magazines, 16 rounds of ammunition and Mitsubishi L-300 bus, which they used for operations.

The pump action gun the robbers snatched from the vigilance group members they killed was also recovered.

The police image maker further said: “Our target is to get night life back in Anambra State, especially during the forthcoming Christmas period and we must do it, that is the target of the state Commissioner of Police, Ballah Nasarawa.

“We are moving into all the nooks and crannies of this state to fish out those hoodlums and that is why, our men had been deployed to all the remote areas in the state.