Sequel to increased criminal activities across the state, Police Commissioner Garba Baba Umar warned vehicle owners to stop covering their number plates and avoid using sirens.
The police said the suspects were arrested at Nnewi, Awada in Onitsha, Agulu in Anaocha Local Government Area as well as Obosi in Idemili North Local Government Area.
Some of the items recovered from them included charms, AK-47 rifles, locally-made pistols, machetes, axes, live cartridges, pump action guns and six rounds of 9mm live ammunitions.
Parading the suspects at the state police headquarters in Amawbia, Umar assured the residents that the command would protect them and their property from criminals.
The police chief said the suspects were being in
investigated, adding that they will be prosecuted.
On the child trafficking syndicate, Umar said following an intelligence report, Pastor Raymond Igboanusi (60), from Oba in Idemili South Local Government Area, was arrested.
He was reportedly arrested with Angela Igboanusi (42), Obinigwe Josephine (56), from Obu-Agu village in Agulu, Anaocha Local Government Area, and Jacob Onwuegwu (62), of the same address.
Umar said the suspects allegedly conspired and trafficked Ifeanyi Odili (10) for N300,000.
Also, at Nnewi, Oluchi Emeobi (24), of Nnewi-Ichi, allegedly conspired with her friend, Nchedochi Richard (26), and sold her two-month-old baby to a woman, popularly called “First Lady”.
The buyer was said to be on the run while the police have intensified efforts to apprehend her.
Umar said: “To conceal her dastardly act, the suspect reported at the police station under false pretence that she left her baby under the custody of yet-to-be-ascertained woman, who absconded with the baby.
“Exhibits recovered from the principal suspect include N250,000 cash, one motorcycle the suspect allegedly bought with part of the money realised from the sale of her baby.”
Some of the robbery suspects, the police chief said, had been on the command’s wanted list for some time.
He added that one of the suspects was shot in the leg during a shootout with members of the state Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) at Onitsha.
The
police chief said the suspect had been giving the command information that
would lead to the arrest of her “accomplices”.
He
said the command arrested over 40 suspected cultists in various parts of the
state within a short period.
Umar
assured the residents that the suspects would be charged to court after
investigations.