Police have arrested seven armed robbers including two soldiers over an attack on a bullion van in Abakaliki, the capital of Ebonyi State.
The van was coming from Enugu State when it was attacked in Abakaliki on July 29, 2020, which caused the death of four police officers and others injured.
A manhunt launched by operatives of the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT) led to the arrest of 45-year-old Alfred Robinson on August 1 in Asaba, Delta State.
Six more gang members were arrested by IRT Detectives within 24hrs. They include: Cpl Ayeni Samuel, a Nigerian Soldier serving in Ikeja, Lagos; Cpl Emeka Harrison, a dismissed Soldier who had served in Maiduguri, Borno State.
Others are; Emeka Illo, the sponsor of the operation; Abuchi Elijah also known as ‘Chime D Mosquito’, an informant for the robbers and Ibanifiroi Ekiene, a native of Tombia Community.
12 undetonated improvised explosives, one GPMG, six rifles, 51 AK-47 magazines, 1,620 ammunition, 2 robbed vehicles, and charms were recovered from them.
All suspects, upon interrogation, confessed to the Bullion Van Robbery and that 4 out of the rifles recovered belongs to the Policemen they killed during the robbery.
The suspects are now assisting the police to arrest the remaining members of their gang.
