The police have arrested three suspects involved in housebreaking and the robbery of gold and other valuables in Abuja.
ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the Force Public Relations Officer, announced this during a media briefing in Abuja. The arrests followed an investigation by the Intelligence Response Team (IRT).
Further investigation revealed that the prime suspect was a fish trader at the Kado fish market in Abuja. The suspects had targeted three houses in the Lugbe area of Abuja before reaching a fourth house. They jumped the fence and used a motor jack to widen the bars of the burglary-proof.
Once inside, the suspects searched for valuables and discovered a safe. They stole the safe and later used a hammer and chisel to break it open, finding money, documents, and gold inside.
“Upon the discovery, the prime suspect contacted a buyer to dispose of the items, and he realised over N60 million after selling the items,” he said.
Adejobi said operatives of the IRT had also arrested 16 suspects in connection with the theft and robbery of motorcycles and tricycles in Plateau.
He said the suspects, who were particularly involved in moving around at late night, picking up any tricycle parked without supervision, were arrested following credible intelligence.
The police spokesman said the suspects were also involved in moving around and stopping motorcyclists on the road while parading themselves as police officers with fake identity cards
He said the members of the syndicate, who posed as policemen and accused motorists of late night movement, were engaged in confiscating motorcycles and telling them to go to the nearest Police Division to retrieve the motorcycles.
He said the suspects had so far stolen several motorcycles, which they had sold to the receiving group in their syndicate.
Adejobi said police operatives had recovered eight motorcycles and 11 tricycles from the suspects.
He said police operatives had in the past six weeks arrested a total of 1,284 suspects over the offences of armed robbery, kidnapping, rape, homicide, cultism, and other criminal offences.
Adejobi said 307 of the suspects were arrested for armed robbery, 296 for kidnapping, 301 for homicide, 176 for rape and defilement, and 204 for cult-related offences.
The police spokesman said 284 firearms, 6702 rounds of ammunition of various calibres, and 107 vehicles were recovered from the suspects, while 97 kidnap victims were rescued during the period under review.
