On Tuesday, the Rivers State Police announced that five people, including an ex-convict and a foreign national, had been arrested after a car snatching ring operating both inside and outside the state had been discovered.
According to the police, the achievement came after an earlier armed robbery gang member was apprehended, which prompted C4i Intelligence Unit agents to travel to the country’s north for the operation.
This information was provided by State Police Command spokesperson Grace Iringe-Koko while the accused were being paraded in front of the media in Port Harcourt.
Iringe-Koko claimed that the syndicate’s speciality was robbing cars and transporting them outside the country to sell to purchasers who were associates of the group.
She stated, “Following on an earlier arrest of a member of an armed robbery/car snatching syndicate, on Monday, 8th May 2023, operatives of the Rivers State Police Command proceeded on investigation activities to Abuja, Nasarawa and Gombe States, where they nabbed five suspects, strongly believed to be responsible for theft of cars in the state, and the sale of those stolen vehicles.
“They include one Shehu Shagari, 33, from Kaduna South, Kaduna State, who is a major receiver of stolen vehicles from one Hamisu Babangida (‘m’) who is based in Port Harcourt, and a direct receiver from one Tamuno Kobiye (‘m’), aka Okorobo, a suspected armed robber who is a native of Okrika and who has been convicted and imprisoned severally on similar offences.
“Others are one Ibrahim Abubakar, 37, of Kala LGA in Bornu State, who confessed that he bought one Prado Jeep from Shehu Shagari at the rate of ₦5 million and re-sold the same to one Alhaji Abdullahi, a Cameroonian.
“The same operation led to the arrest of one Nuhu Ahmed , 30, and Abdullahi, 30, both from Yola South LGA of Adamawa State.”
Iringe-Koko added, “Exhibits recovered include a cash sum of ₦2 million which was sent for the purchase of stolen Toyota Corolla; one Acura Jeep with Reg. No. PBT 10 JP registered on the name, Mrs. Rebecca Mioko (‘f’), a resident of Rivers State.
“All the suspects will be charged to court at the conclusion of investigations.”
Residents were urged by the State Police image maker to be vigilant, supportive, and law-abiding as well as to report crimes and criminal activity right away to the local police station so that it can be dealt with right away.
