The Ebonyi Police Command on Friday said it had arrested a three-man notorious armed robbery gang in Onueke, Ezza South Local Government Area of the state.

The command said that the gang members specialised in robbing people of their vehicles and other valuables at gunpoint.

Speaking with journalists in Abakaliki, the command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Chris Anyanwu, said two pump-action guns were recovered from the suspects.

He said that the crack squad of the command got a distress call from one Henry Ikpakaogo of Federal Low Cost Housing Estate Abakaliki, Ebonyi at about 7:30 p.m. on June 3.

“The caller cried that while returning from Enugu State in his Toyota 4Runner Jeep, a yellow coloured mini-bus carrying about six passengers blocked him at Okpoto in Ishielu Local Government Area of Ebonyi.

“The supposed passengers pulled out guns and ordered him to get down from his vehicle. As he did so, the hoodlums beat him up, while one of them hit him on the chest with a gun and he went blank.

“When he regained consciousness, he discovered that they had made away with his 4Runner Toyota Jeep, with registration number: ABC 943 SB, valued at N5,000,000, with all the items in the vehicle.

“The items in the vehicle were: one Samsung Note 5 phone, valued at N180,000, a wallet containing driver’s licence , ATM card, voter card and N12,000 cash,” he said.

Mr Anyanwu explained that on the same June 3, at about 8:20 p.m., the same robbers snatched a minibus with the inscription ‘ENTRACO’ at Ochumba Street in Enugu.

“They also robbed Eneh Chimaobi ‘m’ of 11 Akwaibochi Street Enugu of one Toyota Camry, with registration number: ENU 898 BB, phones valued at N30,000 as well as various other items from the occupants of the vehicle.

“On receiving the distress call, the crack squad of Ebonyi Police Command, led by SP Philip Agu, swung into action.

“The Toyota Spider was trailed and tracked down to Darling Star Hotel, Onueke, Ezza South in Ebonyi, with three of the armed robbers arrested therein.

“Equally recovered from the suspects at the hotel premises were two other Toyota Spider cars, one gold-coloured car, with registration number: ENU 898 BB and another grey-coloured car, with registration number: MUS 59 HM,” Mr Anyanwu said.

He listed other exhibits to include: three Toyota Spider cars, with registration numbers: ABC 943 SB green-coloured; ENU 898 BB, gold-coloured and MUS 59 HM, grey-coloured.

The police spokesperson said that seven other suspects, now at large, were also involved in the crime, adding that efforts were on top gear to apprehend them, as investigation continued.

(NAN)