Imo State police stopped a robbery attempt on Saturday in the Kenegbu neighbourhood.
Armed robbers invaded the Goldwise and Wisdom Gold outlets in Owerri.
According to eyewitnesses, the thieves arrived in a white pick-up van wearing military uniforms and heavily armed.
They were claimed to have entered the business, stolen products worth millions of naira, and were on their way out when a police officer accompanying an unnamed individual to a nearby cafe suspected foul play and opened fire on them.
The five-man gang returned fire and began shooting indiscriminately, forcing customers to lock their stores and flee for their lives.
According to sources, the police officer’s gunshot struck the gang’s driver, killing him instantly.
His gang members jumped out of the Hilux vehicle and began running while firing in the air.
“The policeman suspected foul play and quickly opened fire on them,” one eyewitness stated. He murdered the gang’s driver, and four other members stepped out and began firing. Police reinforcements from the command headquarters arrived immediately. Two were apprehended, while others fled.”
It was discovered that the things they took were promptly retrieved from them.
Another eyewitness informed us that he was thankful to God that no innocent people were murdered in the tragedy.
“They were in army camouflage,” he explained. Residents and traders in the area assumed they were police or military soldiers when they rushed the square in a Hilux van, but to their chagrin, they were underworld figures. While they were busily harvesting the gold from the shelves, a police officer linked to someone who had come to buy something or other discovered that it was a robbery attack and shot at the driver, shooting him down, therefore halting the thieves’ activity. They walked on their heels.”
The police spokesperson, Henry Okoye, said the state Commissioner of Police, Muhammed Berde, was thankful to the operatives who foiled the assault and apprehended the suspects as he paraded the body of the suspect and the two others caught alive at the command headquarters.
Okoye identified the suspects as Peter Gaura, 27, of Kogi State, a discharged soldier, and Promise Joshua, 25, of Delta State.
“In the ensuing gunfight, one of the hoodlums was neutralised, two were arrested, and others escaped with varying degrees of gunshot injuries,” he continued.
“The following items were recovered during a search of the suspects and the scene: two pump-action guns, four locally-made pistols, eight rounds of live cartridges, one expanded cartridge, and the Hilux van used for the operation, with Registration Number BRR 586 XA, after removing the black cloth used to cover the number plate.”
Additional goods discovered were jewels worth millions of naira, two military uniforms, two special forces T-shirts, and bags containing additional stolen items.
“None of the shop owners or customers were injured as a result of the quick response,” he said. The manhunt for other fleeing suspects and the makers of the locally produced handguns has been stepped up. Following the completion of a discreet investigation by the command’s tactical team, the suspects will be properly examined and arraigned. The bodies of the suspects who have been neutralized will be deposited in the mortuary.
“While commending the operatives for a job well done, the Commissioner of Police urged them to keep up the tempo in the state’s ongoing crusade against all forms of crime and criminality.”
Promise, one of the suspects, informed the media that he works as a bouncer at a prominent new hotel in Owerri.
