Anambra Vigilante Member Arrested With Pump-Action Gun Hidden In Bag Of Rice For Robbery

The Anambra State Police Command has said that its operatives arrested a member of a local vigilante group who, while trying to escape with a pump-action gun to join an armed robbery gang for robbery activities.

The Public Relations Officer of the Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, who made this known in a statement issued in Awka, the state capital on Tuesday, said that the suspect is 25-year-old Enediong Bassey, a native of Ikono Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

According to Ikenga, Bassey was arrested at Nkwell-Ezunaka by police operatives attached to 33 Police Divisional headquarters led by CSP Emeka Obi, on  Friday at 6:38pm while acting on credible information.

The police spokesperson said the police recovered the gun Bassey wrapped in a bag of rice.

“Upon interrogation, the suspect confessed to being a member of a security outfit/vigilante and was about to escape with the gun to join his criminal gang, for armed robbery and other unpatriotic activities. 

“Given the above and following other complaints and unprofessional conduct by some security outfits and vigilante members, the Commissioner Of Police, Nnaghe Obono Itam, in line with the principles of community policing reiterates the calls for profiling of security operatives assisting the police and other security agencies on anti-crime operations to improve safety in the state. 

“The CP  also directs the immediate transfer of the suspect to the anti-robbery squad of the command for comprehensive investigations,” Ikenga added.