Police arrest suspected killers of Enugu market leader

The police in Enugu State, South-east Nigeria, said they have arrested suspected killers of the chairperson of Ogbete Market Traders’ Association in the state.

Ogbete is the biggest market in Enugu.

The killing

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported how the victim, Stephen Aniagu, was shot dead at about 7 p.m. on 14 September.

This newspaper also reported that the market leader was attacked and killed at Moses Ogbodo Junction close to Topland Market in Amaechi Axis, Enugu South Local Government Area of the state.

The victim was said to be driving home when the hoodlums flagged down his vehicle and shot him dead.

The police said the attackers subsequently snatched the victim’s vehicle, Toyota Corolla, during the incident.

Arrest of the suspected killers

The police spokesperson in Enugu State, Daniel Ndukwe, at a press conference on Friday, said two of the suspected killers were arrested earlier this month in Akwuke, Awkunanaw in Enugu South Council Area of the state.

Mr Ndukwe, a deputy superintendent of police, said the arrest of the suspects followed directives issued to police operatives by the Commissioner of Police in the state, Kanayo Uzuegbu, to track down the killers.

The spokesperson recalled that the Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, also gave a similar directive to security operatives in the state.

“Consequently, through diligent intelligence work and coordinated efforts between police detectives of the Anti-Robbery Section (D9) of the State Criminal Investigation Department and operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Tactical Squad of the Command, the police arrested two male suspects involved in the crime on November 8 and 9, 2024,” he said

Mr Ndukwe identified the arrested suspects as Chukwudi Aboshi, 28, an indigene of Anike in Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, and Innocent Ebuka Ani, otherwise known as “Excellent,” who hails from Isigwe-Ugbawka in Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State.

“During interrogation, both suspects confessed to their active involvement in the crime. They provided detailed accounts of how they attacked Mr Aniagu, snatched his vehicle, and similarly shot another male driver severally at the same location on the night of the murder, snatching his Toyota Corolla as well,” he stated.

“Fortunately, he is stable and undergoing treatment.”

The police spokesperson said the suspects also confessed that they belong to a criminal gang and that they and other members of the gang had committed several other crimes in the state.

He said the suspects further confessed that their hideout was located in a forest Mmaku in Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State.

Mr Ndukwe said the arrested suspects also mentioned names of eight other gang members who allegedly took part in the killing of the market leader.

He said the arrested suspects mentioned names of the gang members as Obinna Nnamani, Miracle, Chisom Okoro, Pius Anoja, and Israel – all males and many of whom are indigenes of Mmaku Community in Awgu Council Area of Enugu State.

Three others who were identified by their sobriquets were ‘mosquito, Anunti – all males and indigenes of the Awgu Council Area- and Iyangbakwu, who hails from Akegbe-Ugwu Community in Nkanu West Local Government Area of the state.

“The suspects are assisting the police in the ongoing investigations to apprehend the mentioned accomplices on the run, and to recover the stolen vehicles and tools used to commit these crimes,” Mr Ndukwe said.

An android mobile phone, snatched from a victim in the crime scene, and objects suspected to be charms, were recovered from them, according to the police.

‘We ‘ll arrest all the suspects,’ Commissioner speaks

Mr Ndukwe, at the briefing, said Mr Uzuegbu has reaffirmed the commitment of the police in Enugu State to arrest all the individuals connected to crimes.

The police commissioner, he said, also assured Nigerians that the police will continue in their efforts to flush out criminal gangs in the state.

He stressed that the State Police Command will maintain an “aggressive stance” against criminals to ensure the safety and security of the people of Enugu State.