The Rivers state police command has paraded suspects who confessed to operating a one chance criminal syndicate in Rivers state
The state police public relations Officer, Grace Iringe-Koko while briefing news men in port harcourt said the “On September 4, 2024 at about 9pm, Operatives of the Command attached to the Intelligence and Surveillance Unit on a routine patrol along Garrison axis of Aba road, Port-Harcourt, sighted a Purple coloured Volkswagen Golf 3, with registration number RIVERS -ABU 738 LS with six occupants. As the patrol van approached the vehicle, one of the occupants was pushed out of the Car around the Garrison flyover area.
This heinous action heightened suspicions of the Operatives who then gave the vehicle a hot chase, eventually intercepting the suspects at the Eleme junction just under the bridge.
The driver and one other escaped, while the Police apprehended three suspects namely Thaddeus Sunday Ogu ‘m’, a 42-year-old native of Orlu Community in Njaba LGA of Imo State and self acclaimed artisan residing at Camp Pipeline, Oyigbo, Chinagorom Eze ‘f’, aged 35 years, a native of Ekpija Community in Enugu North LGA of Enugu State but resident at Railway, Oboama Oyigbo and Favour Yusuf ‘f’, aged 30 years and a native of Plateau State, presently residing at Anele Filling Station, Mbano Camp, Oyigbo.
One of the suspects, Thaddeus Sunday Ogu ‘m’ attempted to evade arrest by opening fire on the Police operatives which led to him sustaining bodily injuries that eventually proved fatal. He was taken to the Police Clinic, Port-Harcourt where he succumbed to his injuries after receiving treatment.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects specialize in one chance operations, luring unsuspecting victims into their operational car posing as a commercial vehicle. They would create a single passenger space (chance) at the front seat, while the gang members would occupy every other chance. When a victim gets in, they would raise a false alarm in order to get the victim agitated, eventually dispossessing him or her of their money or phones and pushing them out of the moving car. They would then sell the stolen items to awaiting receivers and share the proceeds amongst themselves.
The suspects confessed to the crime and revealed that they have been operating in Port-Harcourt and its environs between 10 pm to 5 am daily for the past three years before meeting their Waterloo on that fateful day.
Items recovered from the suspects include their operational Golf 3 Volkswagen Car and one locally made pistol with one live cartridge .
Investigation is ongoing, while efforts have intensified to arrest other fleeing members of the syndicate.
The suspects and exhibits are in Police custody and will be charged in court at the conclusion of the investigation.