Idris Ahmed, Lokoja.
The Police in Kogi state has arrested 13 persons suspected to be notorious armed robbers and vehicle snatchers, that have been terrorising the state for long time.
Parading the suspects last weekend in Lokoja, the Kogi state Commissioner of Police Ayuba Ede Ekpeye explained that with the adoption of the idea of Community Policing, the campaigns against violent crimes in Kogi state by the government, led to the arrest of two brothers, Idris Bello, 26, and Nafiu Bello , 28 , who have been snatching exotic cars from their owners and eleven other criminals.
One of the suspects named Idris who claimed to be a farmer said, he doesn’t know how he became involved as he woke up on a particular day in December, 2019 hearing strange sounds advising him to go for car snatching business
According to him, from that day, he became obsessed and started to recruit some of his friends including his Senior brother Nafiu for the new vocation of snatching cars using his English made pistols.
He revealed that one Monday Shaibu, 30 who uses Military camouflage to disposses Okada Riders of their motorcycles before he was nabbed by police operatives was a member of the group.
According to the commissioner, the trio of Mohammed Yahaya, Idris Bello and Nafiu Bello who were terrorising the people of Lokoja and its environs before their arrest on December 18, 2019 had snatched Toyota Sienna , Toyota Corrola, Toyota Camry, Ford Explorer and a Michael Kor Wristwatch which they disposed them to their accomplices said to be car dealers in Kaduna state.
The police boss further disclosed that investigation carried out by the operatives led to the recovery of these vehicles and a locally and English made pistols with six live ammunitions.
The Commissioner also presented , Ahmed Abah, Yahuza Adamu and Idris Sani said to have been arrested by the officers of the state Anti Robbery Squad for the theft of one Toyota Highlander with Registration number Lagos SMK963FZ .
While Mustapha James Onuh and his accomplice Adejoh Tokujo were nabbed for robbing a pastor of his Itel phone, Eight thousand naira and a Toyota Camry car.
Among the suspects were, Abubakar Aji, Ibrahim Barto , Bello Suleiman, Aliyu Ibrahim and Yakubu Dunca who were arrested at separate locations for snatching of motor bikes, are said to have confessed to the crime.
The Commissioner of Police who used the press briefing to showcase his achievements in office, said the command had designed a template to contain crimes, identify black spots with a strategic plan that has resulted in the harvest of arrest of criminals across the state.
CP Ekpeye stated that after adopting scientific approach to fighting crimes and criminality, he has also enshrined common problem solving mechanism of community policing that has given confidence to the people who willingly divulge credible information to the police.
While calling on the stakeholders to continue to partner with the police and other Security Agencies in the fight against crimes, urged parents to pay more attention to the lifestyle of their children and wards to prevent them from being lured into criminal activities by their peers.
