The Enugu State Police Command has announced the arrest of Sadik Ahmed, a dismissed soldier, and seven others for their involvement in an interstate criminal syndicate.
A statement on Saturday by the Command’s spokesman DSP Daniel Ndukwe, the suspects were allegedly involved in armed robbery and financial fraud.
Ndukwe gave the names of the suspects aged between 22 and 33 as “Ismaila Isah, Sadik Ahmed (dismissed soldier), Abbas Usman, Mubarak Garba, Abubakar Haruna, Abubakar Sani, Obiri Chukwuebuka and Bright Omeniru.”
The police recovered firearms, ammunition, cash, and other stolen items during the operation, which started on November 12, Ndukwe disclosed.
Notably, Sadik Ahmed, the dismissed soldier, admitted to using his military background to evade checkpoints while transporting stolen items.
Items recovered included: “Two locally made pistols loaded with a live and expended cartridge and a cash sum of three hundred thousand, four hundred and fifty Naira (₦300,450.00) were recovered. Others are 10 laptops, land documents, 10 mobile phones, assorted jewellery and watches, one MP3 player, one headphone, four power banks, two SIM cards, footwear, and bags.”
According to the statement, the operation leading to arrest commenced on November 12, 2024, around 3:30 a.m., when operatives from the Emene Division, supported by Neighbourhood Watch members, responded to a distress call regarding an armed robbery at an estate in Emene.
“During the operation, Ismaila Isah was apprehended with one locally made pistol, ₦300,450.00, and some stolen items, while others escaped. Ismaila was later transferred to the Crack Tactical Squad for further investigation.
“His confessional statements and subsequent discreet investigations led to the arrest of Sadik Ahmed, Abbas Usman, Mubarak Garba, Abubakar Haruna, and Abubakar Sani at their hideouts in New Garriki, Awkunanaw, Enugu. Another locally made pistol and additional stolen items were recovered.”
Ndukwe further stated that operatives from the Octopus Tactical Squad utilising an intelligence report, subsequently, arrested Obiri Chukwuebuka and Bright Omeniru in Owerri, Imo State.
According to him, “during interrogation, they admitted to using phones stolen by the syndicate to fraudulently withdraw funds from victims bank accounts. Two SIM cards from different networks were also recovered.
“Investigations reveal that the suspects confessed to committing multiple armed robberies within the Enugu metropolis and using the victims’ mobile phones’ SIM cards to also commit acts of fraud. They further confessed to moving and selling the stolen proceeds in Imo and other States. Sadik Ahmed, the dismissed soldier, admitted to exploiting his background as a former security agent to bypass checkpoints during the interstate shipment of the stolen items.”
Ndukwe, however, said that the suspects will be arraigned in court upon the conclusion of investigations.
He, quoted the Commissioner of Police, Mr Kanayo Uzuegbu, to have commended the operatives for the operational breakthroughs, and tasked them to sustain the momentum against criminal activities, especially during this festive season.
