Newspaper report-Police Arrests Soldier, Others For Armed Robbery.

Police in Aba, Abia state have arrested a soldier Abdulkarim Salawudeen and an 18 year old girl, Ogechi Chibuike for alleged armed robbery at the Osisioma Ngwa section of the Enugu “ Port Harcourt Expressway.

Salawudeen, who claimed to be a Lance Corporal with Army number, 98NA/ 47/3484, was alleged to have conspired with Ogechi and others still at large to rob unsuspecting members of the public at odd hours of the day.

The girl, Ogechi would stand by the road side at odds hours crying for assistance from road users particularly from 7pm to 11pm and when people stop to assist her, the soldier, Salawudeen and other members of his gang would come out from their hiding in nearby bush with their guns and rob them. Through this strategy, the gang was alleged to have robbed people of their vehicles and other property

The Police, who have received several
complaints about the operations of the gang, stormed their hideout at a drug joint near the popular Enyimba area on the Expressway and arrested the soldier and Ogechi while other members of gang are still at large. Items recovered from them include 16 Army camouflage uniforms, 3 ear rings, assorted GSM cards, Citizen bank Identity card belonging to one Ngozi Njoku as well as a Citizen bank Cheque book bearing the name of Onwumere Okechukwu.

Sources hint that Salawudeen who hails from Kogi state was a serving soldier in 93 Battalion, Takum, Taraba state but deployed to an Army formation in Abia state.

Salawudeen is also said to have series of disciplinary cases which necessitated his return to his Battalion but he rather chose to abscond and form a robbery gang.

A senior Police officer who pleaded anonymity disclosed that many victims have been coming to the Command to identify Salawudeen as the one who robbed them of their property with a military uniform.

The gang was alleged to have robbed one Barr. Onubueke Francis Obinna of No 207 Old Express road, Aba of his N28, 000, one Nokia handset, phone charger and shoes.

Mr. Chukwuemeka Nwaigwe of No.9 Abdulrahaman Kanu road, Abayi, Aba, also recalled that he was on his way to Ishiagu in Ebonyi state with his Rava Toyota Jeep with registration number, AJ 461 SSM and close to the Army checkpoint at Arungwa junction on the Enugu “ Port Harcourt Expressway, he was stopped by an armed soldier.

“As soon as I stopped, the man in army uniform collected my key and whispered to people who came out of the bush and drove away my jeep. They collected N15, 000, 2 LG phones worth N12, 500 each and 100 pieces of crushing hammer valued at N180, 000.” According to a Obinna, “I was returning to my house along the Expressway on 19th March, 2013 when I saw a young girl who was begging for help by the roadside. I was moved to stop and assist her. But as soon as I stopped, a soldier came out of the bush and pointed a gun at me; others came out with cutlasses and started beating me. They robbed me of my car.”

Charles Okafor, a driver also identified Salawudeen as the person who robbed him of his Pathfinder along Enugu — Port Harcourt Expressway on 4th March, 2013 at 8.45pm. The stolen Pathfinder Jeep with registration number, AKW 32 AG, which is owned by Bishop Emeka Nwankpa of the Chapel of Faith Bible Assembly International, 33 Junction, Onitsha, Anambra state, was snatched from the cleric and his driver at the Osisioma Ngwa and has not been found till date.

The lady member of the gang, Ogechi who hails from Agburuike Nsulu in Isiala Ngwa North Local government Area of Abia state stated that the soldier instructed her dress half naked and shout for help from road users.

“He told me to stand on the roadside and call for help as anybody who sees me will stop.

When I stand on the road and shout for help, people will stop to know what happened to me and he will come out with his Army uniform and rob them.

Sometimes, he will tell me to be half naked to attract people. He told me that with his uniform, nobody will say anything. After operations, he gives N400.

There was one we carried out at Ama Hausa, he gave me N500,”Ogechi said.

When contacted, Commissioner of Police, Abia state, Usman Abubakar confirmed the arrest of the robbery syndicate and added that investigations are still going on about Salawudeen to ascertain if he is truly a soldier.