Police arrests suspects buying cars with fake bank alerts in Enugu

The Enugu State Police Command on Thursday paraded 11 criminal suspects for different offences, including murder, kidnapping, child trafficking, armed robbery and stealing.

Among the 11 suspects were Odoh Tochukwu, Ifenyinwa Okonkwo and Ogbodo Emmanuel, who were alleged to be fraudsters who specialise in stealing cars from dealers by sending them fake bank alerts.

Speaking during the parade of the suspects at the state police headquarters, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Abubakar Lawal, told journalists that the suspects were arrested within the month.

According to the commissioner, the suspects were arrested at different locations between December 7 and 13, 2021, by police detectives attached to the Anti-Robbery Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department following intelligence on their criminal activities.

He said, “Preliminary investigation showed that the criminal syndicate specialised in stealing cars by fraudulently sending fake credit alerts to unsuspecting car dealers, as payment for the purchase of cars and other items within Enugu and other parts of the country.

READ ALSO: Police arrests cleric with human head in Ondo

“Six vehicles of different makes and other incriminating items were recovered from them, while further discreet investigation to arrest other members of the criminal gang at large is ongoing.”

Also paraded were Chioma Nwatu aka Chioma-Gbashi; Chikwube Nwatu aka Cheche; and Uwa Emeka aka Akimbo, arrested on December 22, 2021,
by operatives of the CP Monitoring Unit for alleged conspiracy and kidnapping.

Lawal said their arrest was sequel to intelligence-led operations from a report that the trio and others at large, conspired and kidnapped one Amechi Oguama on October 20, 2021.

The gang was said to have demanded and received a ransom of about N10 million from the victim’s family but failed to produce him.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects, who confessed to the crime, invited the victim to Enugu from his base in Lagos, to finalise a child adoption deal, after obtaining the total sum of N3,762,500 as payment for the adoption a twin,” he added.

Meanwhile, he said the command was working to rescue the victim and apprehend other members of the gang at large, noting that a Mercedes Benz 4matic belonging to the victim and in which he was abducted has been recovered.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now