Ebonyi Police intercepts 753 live ammunition of General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG)
Jacob Ogodo Abakaliki
Ebonyi State Police Command said it has intercepted 753 live ammunition of General-Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) concealed in a sac being transported in a commercial vehicle from Abakaliki, Ebonyi State to Umuahia in Abia State.
In a statement signed and made available to Newsdirect in Abakaliki, the Police public Relation Officer, Ebonyi state Command DSP Loveth Odah said it is part of efforts by the Force to identify and crack down on criminal networks and supply chains for weapons and ammunition in and around the country.
Odah said that the crackdown came as a result of a Comprehensive investigations aimed at bringing to book all persons linked to criminal activities.
She also disclosed that it was the efforts of the intelligence-driven covert operation, that led to the interception and recovery of the deadly ammunition.
“The operatives of the Nigeria Police Force attached to the Ebonyi State Police Command have intercepted 753 live ammunition of General-Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) concealed in a sac being transported in a commercial vehicle from Abakaliki, Ebonyi State to Umuahia in Abia State.
“ The intelligence-driven covert operation, which led to the interception and recovery of the deadly ammunition, is part of efforts by the Force to identify and crack down on criminal networks and supply chains for weapons and ammunition in and around the country. Comprehensive investigations aimed at bringing to book all persons linked to the crime are ongoing.”
Also, the PPRO disclosed that following investigations into the foiled bank robbery on the Onueke branch of a commercial bank in the State, police stormed the criminal hideout and killed three members if the gang.
She said that in their quest to apprehend the remaining suspects, the Police team traced the suspects to a shrine where the robbers usually go for mystical powers before embarking on their robbery operations adding that two (2) of the suspects were eventually arrested from the supposedly safe haven—the shrine.
“Similarly, following investigations into the foiled bank robbery on the Onueke branch of a commercial bank in Ebonyi State which occurred in January, 2021; Police operatives led by the Commissioner of Police, Ebonyi State Command, on 29th April, 2021, stormed the criminal hideout of suspects indicted in the investigations located at Oriuzo village in Ezza North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
“The suspects on sighting the Police squad, opened fire on them. The Police team engaged them gallantly and professionally. At the end, three (3) members of the gang including two (2) male and one (1) female met their waterloo following bullet injuries sustained during the exchange of gunfire. Other suspects fled in different directions.
“Two (2) Ak47 riffles, five (5) pump action guns, six (6) pistols, fifty (50) Ak47 ammunition, one hundred and twenty-six (126) cartridges, Jack knives, cutlasses, and a 40-page notebook containing inventories of ammunition purchased by the gang were recovered. A Honda Pilot Jeep with Reg No. ABJ 163 NJ used for the foiled bank robbery was also recovered by the Police Team.”
