By: Tochi Onyeubi
Insecurity is seemingly on the rise in the state, as gun men seem to be having a field day.
The media wave has since the past week, been a washed with reported cases of attempted murder, murder and kidnap cases.
One of such reported case, was the official release by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Orlando Ikeokwu over the kidnap and gruesome murder of one Tobias Okeke “m”, a native of Umutanse village, Umudim in Orlu LGA, after taking away his ash colored Toyota Camry car.
Security report revealed that, operatives swung into action, leading to the arrest of one Nnaemeka Chinonso ” m” 27yrs who subsequently, after interrogation led them to where the remains of Tobias Okeke was abandoned.
“On the 22/02/2020 at about 9.50am, the command received a distress call around Umudim, Umutanse Village in Orlu LGA, that some armed men abducted one Tobias Okeke Ugo ‘m’ and also took away his ash coloured Toyota Camry car.”
“In view of the above information, operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad SARS responded and arrested one Chinonso Nnaemeka ‘m’ aged 27yrs of Umutanse Village, Orlu LGA. Upon interrogation, he confessed to the crime and led the operatives to where the corpse of Tobias Okeke Ugo was, the victim was found in the pool of his own blood with deep machete cuts all over his body, his vehicle was also recovered. “
“However, effort is being intensified to arrest other fleeing members of the gang while investigation progresses.”
Another similar event, was reported to have happened on Wednesday last week, in front of Madonna Secondary School, Works Layout, near Bala Junction, Owerri causing chaos in the area.
An eye witness account revealed that, the bandits numbering three including their driver, in a Toyota Camry, fully kitted like operatives of the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS), was said to have traced victim who drove in Lexus 4- Runner from a nearby bank where he had made a cash transaction in excess to the tune of some millions.
According to him, while they barricaded the victim’s car and forcefully collected the money, he was lucky to have his life spared after they shot at his tyre and sporadically in the air before zooming off.
The source said, “They were 3 in number. I saw them. Initially, I thought they were SARS members because they dressed like them. They stopped the man, went straight into his vehicle and took his bag of money.
“The money must be in millions. They shot into the air and also shot the man’s tyre before speeding off. Thank God they did not kill him”. he said
The more recent was that of a Redeemed Christain Church of God member, who was shot down on his way to church on Sunday, at Works Layout, Owerri.
It was reported that, he allegedly resisted an attempt by a gun man who entered his vehicle at IMSU junction to kidnap him. In the process of resisting the gun man who struggled the stirring of the vehicle trying to dispossess him of the vehicle, he ran into a ditch.
Possibly irked by the stiff resistance, the gun man was said to have shot him dead, when the victim made his way out of the vehicle for safety.
He immediately rushed into a waiting vehicle his gang members trialed the victim in and zoomed off.
The Police Spokesperson when contacted said, the body of the victim has been deposited in the morgue while investigations are ongoing on order of the Commissioner of Police.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that it was a case of an attempted murder. The corpse of the victim had been evacuated. A pistol apparently belonging to the fleeing suspect was recovered by the police who swiftly arrived at the scene of crime”.
The deceased, who until his death was a worker at the church’s Provincial headquarters (Jesus Assembly).
