By Onyinyechi Amakaulo
Police in Imo State Command has revealed how yet to be identified criminals killed a policeman and carted away his AK 47 rifle.
The murdered cop, identified as Christian Nnamani of Mobile 18 Owerri, was killed on Tuesday night at Control Post Roundabout, Owerri, Imo State.
Confirming the incident, police spokesman, Andrew Enwere explained that “it is true, we lost a police sergeant last night (Tuesday). Sergeant Christian Nnamani attached to mobile police 18 Owerri was on a stop -and-search duty with his colleagues at Control post junction Owerri when the incident happened. ”
“On sighting the sergeant who was the last guard man, the hoodlums who were in a green car shot him dead and made away with his AK 47 rifle.”
“A passerby was equally hit by the bullets. He was quickly rushed to the Federal Medical Center – Owerri , where he is being attended to .”
“We are on the trial of the criminals. The commissioner of police who is pained by the death of the officer has activated the Tactical Units of the command to go after the fleeing criminals. I assure you that we will get them. ”
The police spokesperson added that a passerby who was hit by a bullet from the hoodlums was rushed to the Federal Medical Center, Owerri , where he was being attended to .
Enwerem said that the police had commenced an investigation into the matter, even as he disclosed that the commissioner of police, Dasuki Galadanchi had given marching orders to the investigators to quickly arrest the fleeing killers.
The operatives of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Imo police command have arrested the suspected killers of Rev Fr. Jude Egbom of St Patrick’s Catholic parish, Amucha, of Njaba Local Government Area of the state.
Egbom was on Monday night long Nkwerre- Anara road shot dead with his vehicle stolen.
Parading the suspects on Thursday, Chigozie Uzoukwu, 33, and Peter Ochokwu, 21, the state commissioner of police, Dasuki Galadanchi, said that the suspects were nabbed in Nkwerre on September 11.
The CP who decried the killing of the cleric said that no murderer goes unpunished.
Worried by the gruesome killing of the priest, Galadanchi disclosed that he activated the Tactical Units of the command to nab the fleeing criminals.
He stated that the efforts of the command paid off with the arrest of the two suspects, recovery of the priest’s vehicle and traveling bag.
The police boss informed that one of the suspects, Ochokwu, was an ex convict who had spent one year in Owerri prison for alleged involvement in an armed robbery case.
The CP said ” on September 11 at Owerri Nkwoji in Nkwerre LGA, Imo state ,F-SARS operatives led by CSP Godfrey Victor on a tip-off intelligence arrested two suspects in connection with the murder of Rev Fr Jude Egbom. ”
“The suspects are one Peter Ochokwu, 21, of Umuibu in Owerre Nkworji Nkwerre LGA and Chigozie Uzoukwu ,33,of same address.”
“A black Toyota Corolla with registration No FKJ 984 EV suspected to belong to the hoodlums who robbed and murdered the Rev Fr was recovered.”
“Interestingly, one leg shoe was found in the abandoned car of the Rev. Fr. the second leg of the shoe was found in the Toyota corolla of the suspects.
“Some of the property in the same suspect’s car was found with the one of the suspects in his house.”
Galadanchi disclosed that the barber, one Raphael where the priest had gone to shave before he was murdered had been picked for questioning.
He disclosed that the gang made up of Kelechi Nnajiuba,24,Ifeanyi Chukwukere,28, and Ekene Ohaeri,27,were members of the gang who already in police custody for the kidnapping of a staff of National Population Commission.
He said that the gang who collected N5m ransom, shot the victim’s police orderly, collected his AK47 rifle which they had been using to terrorize the state.
CP disclosed that the police were on the trial of two leaders of the gang.
According to Galadanchi, a per of shoes, two vehicles, a traveling bag belonging to the slain priest and 46 pieces of permanent Voter’s Cards were recovered as exhibits from the house of one of the two suspects.
