The Imo State Police Command has achieved a breakthrough in the fight against organised crime, dismantling a notorious syndicate specialising in the theft of shuttle buses and motorcycles.
During a press briefing in Owerri on Sunday, police spokesperson Henry Okoye revealed that the Anti-Kidnapping Unit successfully arrested five suspects and recovered a staggering haul of 450 suspected stolen motorcycles.
The investigation was triggered on April 6th after a local business owner reported that his driver, Paul Ejike Ohaka, had vanished along with a shuttle bus. The driver was later discovered unconscious and abandoned along the Onitsha Road axis, having been brutally attacked by assailants. He is currently recovering at Vadan Hospital. Following a meticulous intelligence-led operation, detectives tracked the stolen vehicle to a workshop in Orlu, where it was being prepared for repainting to hide its identity.
At the scene, officers arrested Olagoke Jelili and Godday Ezike. Subsequent raids led to the capture of Okechukwu Prince, Raymond Odinaka, and the alleged receiver of the stolen goods, Paul Martins Anya.
In a striking display of integrity, the suspects reportedly offered the police team a ₦5 million bribe to evade arrest. The operatives, led by ACP Oladimeji Odeyeyiwa, firmly rejected the inducement, upholding the command’s “zero-tolerance” policy toward corruption.
A search of the suspects’ hideout yielded not only the massive fleet of motorcycles but also ₦6.495 million in cash, various vehicle license plates, and criminal charms.
The State Police Commissioner, Audu Garba Bosso, has ordered a thorough investigation to ensure all involved are prosecuted. This operation highlights a significant victory for intelligence-led policing in Imo State, demonstrating that authorities are closing in on specialised robbery networks.
Does the firm rejection of this ₦5 million bribe by the officers help restore your confidence in the integrity of the Nigerian Police Force?
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