Police arrest suspect who masterminded murder of retired army general

The Police Command in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has arrested the suspected organiser of the murder of a retired Brigadier General, Uwem Udokwere, in his Sunshine Estate home in Abuja.

The Commissioner of Police (CP) in charge of FCT, Benneth Igweh, disclosed this at a news conference on Monday in Abuja.

He said the suspect, an escapee of the Kuje jailbreak, resident in the Mararaba area of Nasarawa State, was arrested on 17 July in a hotel in Kano, on his way out of the country.

Mr Igweh said the late general’s service pistol, his wristwatch, and his wife’s jewellery, carted away after the murder, were recovered from the suspect’s residence in Mararaba during the operation.

He said 79 bottles of codeine were also recovered from the suspect’s residence.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the command had on 24 June, announced the arrest of four suspects in connection with the murder of the brigadier general.

The CP said operatives from Utako Division, led by the Divisional Police Officer Victor Godfrey, have arrested three suspects over armed robbery and kidnapping.

He said the operatives trailed a Golf Vento vehicle with registration No. KWL 368 CP, suspected to be driven by a gang of armed robbers in the Jabi area of Abuja.

“Upon sighting the police operatives, the suspects opened fire which resulted in a gun duel.

“The suspects succumbed to the superior firepower and prowess of the police that led to the arrest of three of the gang members,” he said.

Mr Igweh said the suspects had confessed to the crime, adding that the fourth escaped with bullet wounds.

He said two English pistols, two magazines, 49 live ammunition, three torchlights and several charms were recovered from the suspects.

The CP said the command’s operatives have also arrested eight suspects in connection with vandalism and theft of cables from government institutions.

He said the suspects were arrested in the Kabusa area of Abuja following intelligence that many cables had been removed and burned, ready to be transported to the receivers.

Mr Igweh said a truck loaded with suspected stolen household items, scraps of butchered stolen vehicles and other items, as well as a bus loaded with burnt cables, were recovered from the suspects.

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He said six suspected stolen vehicles, allegedly ready to be butchered, were also recovered from the suspects who operate at Kabusa “pantaker”.

Mr Igweh said the suspects would be charged in court upon completion of the investigation.

(NAN)