Crime

Most wanted robber in Owerri killed

Published

9 years ago

October 2, 2017

The Imo State Police Command headquarters in Owerri have received the corpse of a notorious armed robber who had plagued the state for a while.

Ihechi Nwankwo, 27, was Imo’s most wanted man before he was killed during a gun battle with the police in Unuahia, Abia, after escaping from a botched robbery scene Owerri recently.

The spokesman for the Imo State Police Command, Andrew Enwerem, said Nwankwo who hailed from Amaumara in the Ezinihitte Mbaise Local Government Area of the state, had been involved in a series of criminal operations, including robbing a bank customer of N8m at Access Bank at Ahiara Junction on August 8.

The robber also robbed one Jovita Enwerem of N650,000 at gunpoint at Ahiara Junction on June 21.

Nwankwo’s began to run out of luck in May when he robbed a Chinese of N10 million, and killed his police escort. It happened in Owerri.

“On September 28, the state police command control room was alerted to a robbery attack along Wetheral Road, Owerri.

“A customer of the Wetheral Road branch of Zenith Bank had gone to the bank to withdraw N50m. On their way, along Wetheral Road, they were confronted by a daredevil armed robbery gang operating with a grey colour Toyota Corolla with number plate ABJ 951AA that blocked the convoy and immediately opened fire on the police escorts.”

The police spokesman stated that the robbers engaged the cops in a gun duel but they were overpowered by the police.

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He said three policemen, however, sustained gunshot injuries and were already being treated in the hospital.

The criminals escaped from the robbery scene, leaving their vehicle behind.

They were however ntercepted in Umuahia, where they engaged the operatives in a gun duel. One of the gang members was gunned down while the others escaped with bullet injuries and the ash coloured Toyota Corolla car was also recovered.

According to Enwerem, the state SARS investigation revealed the elder brother of the slain

Nwanjwo, one Chibuike Nwankwo, 42, and Chukwudi Obinwanne, a native of Ugiri in Isiala Mbano LGA of the state, were being held at SARS cell for bank robbery cases.

The two have denied the allegation.