Some suspected car snatchers and cultists have been apprehended by the police in Cross River State.
Newsmen disclosed that the Command rounded up a gang of three-man robbery suspects and recovered a 2018 Corolla Toyota worth over 8 million naira
The operation was spearheaded by Anti-Kidnapping /Cultism Team, (AKCT) which tracked the gang from Calabar to Uyo in Akwa Ibom State where they were apprehended after robbing their victim in his house before taking his car.
An eyewitness who gave his name as Austin Akpan said that the suspects had already put the car for sale at the cost of N1m as against the original cost/price of between N7.5m to N8m.
Parading the suspects and the recovered vehicle with registration number, EPE 210 FQ, on Tuesday, the Cross River State Commissioner of Police, Abdulkadir Jimoh said the Police will never relent in ensuring that the state is free from crimes and criminality.
“In line with our open-door policy as it concerns information sharing, the command has apprehended a notorious robbery gang who specializes in robbing filling stations and snatching cars. After robbing their victim in Calabar, they took his 2018 Toyota Corolla which cost over 8 million to a car stand at Uyo without knowing that we were tracking them.
“They were intercepted at about 12: 00 midnight, Tuesday in synergy with our people in Akwa Ibom. We arrested them and brought them back to Calabar and they all have confessed to the crime and will be charged to court immediately investigation is concluded, ” he said.
The Commissioner disclosed that a group of cultists who also mastermind native wars around Ekori in Yakurr Local Government Area were arrested by the Ekori division of the Nigeria Police. He said the command will deal with criminals and no stone shall be left unturned, “All criminal have heard the position of the government and we are here to enforce that by ensuring that Cross Riverians sleep with their two eyes closed.
“Our men are highly motivated and their morale has been boosted, all criminal elements in the state should take note that we have both plane cloth and uniform policemen especially during this Yuletide to ensure there is peace in Cross River, he said .
One of the suspects, 28-year-old Francis Archbong who regretted being involved in the crime said “I didn’t know the value of the car that we wanted to sell but we wanted to sell the car for 1 million naira. I used to be a carpenter before going into driving but I didn’t know the value of the car, but we needed cash urgently.
“I used to be a carpenter but I became driver to make quick cash. The car was handed over to me by Etete, so I drove it to Akwa Ibom to sell it there, but to tell you the truth, I didn’t know the car was up to 8 million naira. If I knew, I won’t place it at 1 million naira,” he said.
Others arrested include, Etim James Etim, aged 35, Peter, aged 32, China justice, aged 44 and Obaseoyi Ibor, aged 38. They will be charged to court immediately after investigations.