Men of the Nigeria Police, Akwa Ibom State Command have killed a six-man armed robbery gang that specialized in car snatching and selling across Akwa Ibom and Cross River States.
The operation, according to the State Commissioner of Police, CP, Amiengheme Andrew lasted some hours.
He said while parading the dead robbers at the state Police Headquarters, Ikot Akpanabia, Uyo on Friday that the car snatchers engaged the police in gun duel before they overwhelmed.
According to him, the robbers met their waterloo during a shoot out with the Police along the Calabar-Itu highway.
He explained that the dead robbers were on their way to Abia state to sell the car they had earlier snatched from a Calabar based Medical Doctor when they met a patrol team of the state command of the Police which bravely confronted them.
Andrew stated that he the robbers were said to have already contacted a buyer for the stolen vehicle and were allegedly on their way to sell it when they were intercepted by the police.
Said he, “Today, at about 5.30am, acting on a credible intelligence that a six man armed robbery gang whose specialty is car snatching in Akwa Ibom and Cross River were operating along Calabar-Itu expressway.
“On receipt of the intel, SARS operatives proceeded to the scene, on sighting the Police Hilux the hoodlums opened fire on the operatives. A gun battle ensued and the six armed robbers sustained gun wounds.
“They were taken to the Police hospital in Uyo for treatment but they were confirmed dead by the Doctor. Exhibits recovered were three locally made pistols, ten life cartridges, four expended cartridges, one pump action gun, one unregistered motorcycle, military camouflage cap and a Toyota Camry snatched from the victim, Dr Arinze Obinna, a physiotherapist at the General Hospital, Calabar.”
CP Andrew used the forum to warn hoodlums against cultism, armed robbery, rape and other vices or leave the state, as the command “under my watch has no room to accommodate any form of criminality.
In an interaction with newsmen, owner of the stolen car said the car was stolen at gun point from him while he was returning home with his family by the hoodlums.
In an other development, the police in Akwa Ibom State also arrested an alleged serial rapist, blackmailer and a murder suspect who allegedly murdered his 11 year old step son.
The command also paraded five alleged cultists members and six armed robbery suspects
