The police said the feat followed an earlier arrest of a member of an armed robbery gang which led the operatives of the C4i Intelligence Unit to the Northern part of the country for the operation.
Spokesperson of the State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, disclosed this while parading the suspects before newsmen in Port Harcourt.
Iringe-Koko said the stock-in-trade of the syndicate was stealing cars and ferrying them outside the state to sell to the buyers who were part of the gang.
She stated, “Following on an earlier arrest of a member of an armed robbery/car snatching syndicate, on Monday, 8th May 2023, operatives of the Rivers State Police Command proceeded on investigation activities to Abuja, Nasarawa and Gombe States, where they nabbed five suspects, strongly believed to be responsible for theft of cars in the state, and the sale of those stolen vehicles.
“They include one Shehu Shagari, 33, from Kaduna South, Kaduna State, who is a major receiver of stolen vehicles from one Hamisu Babangida (‘m’) who is based in Port Harcourt, and a direct receiver from one Tamuno Kobiye (‘m’), aka Okorobo, a suspected armed robber who is a native of Okrika and who has been convicted and imprisoned severally on similar offences.
“Others are one Ibrahim Abubakar, 37, of Kala LGA in Bornu State, who confessed that he bought one Prado Jeep from Shehu Shagari at the rate of ₦5 million and re-sold the same to one Alhaji Abdullahi, a Cameroonian.
“The same operation led to the arrest of one Nuhu Ahmed , 30, and Abdullahi, 30, both from Yola South LGA of Adamawa State.”
Iringe-Koko added, “Exhibits recovered include a cash sum of ₦2 million which was sent for the purchase of stolen Toyota Corolla; one Acura Jeep with Reg. No. PBT 10 JP registered on the name, Mrs. Rebecca Mioko (‘f’), a resident of Rivers State.
“All the suspects will be charged to court at the conclusion of investigations.”
The State Police image maker advised residents to remain supportive, law-abiding, vigilant and promptly report acts of crime and criminality to the nearest police station for prompt action.
