- By Kamil Opeyemi
The police in Abuja have arrested armed robbers suspected to have killed a retired Army general Harold Udokwere.
NPO Reported Udokwere was killed in an estate in the Lokogoma area of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja last weekend.
Mr Benneth Igweh, the Commissioner of Police, in charge of FCT, disclosed this at a news conference on Monday in Abuja.
He said the suspects were arrested by police operatives from Utako Division on Sunday following credible intelligence.
Igweh said the suspects were responsible for the attack, robbery and killing of the retired officer on June 22 in his residence at Sunshine homes Estate in Kabusa area of Abuja.
The commissioner said the suspects who had confessed to the crime, said that they stabbed the general when he tried to resist them with his pistols.
Igweh said the knife used for the crime and the deceased stolen phone were recovered from the suspects.
He said efforts were being intensified to arrest other fleeing members of the gang and recover the pistols taken away from the deceased.
The commissioner said operatives of the command’s anti-kidnapping unit on May 26, trailed and arrested two wanted and notorious kidnap suspects in Dei-Dei Area of Abuja.
Igweh said the suspects were arrested following credible intelligence were escapees of Kuje Prison break in 2022.
He said the duo were members of the kidnap syndicate that stormed livestock estate in Dei-Dei sometimes in December, 2023, kidnapped 17 victims and collected huge ransom before their release.
He said the suspects had told police operatives during investigation that their syndicate was one of the four kidnapping groups terrorising FCT and its environs.
The commissioner said 91 rustled cattle, four sheep and one AK-47 rifle were recovered from the suspects.
He said operatives from the anti-kidnapping unit of the command, in a streak of coordinated clearance operations on some identified bandits camps, arrested an informant, logistics supplier and POS operator to kidnappers.
Igweh said the suspect was the chief informant and logistics supplier to the whole kidnapping groups under the general command of a suspect, currently on the run.
The commissioner said the suspect had confessed to be the facilitator of the movement of nurses, hard drugs and sex workers on request to the kidnapping groups.
“He is also the financial courier through whom money is distributed or shared on request to the kidnapper’s families and has distributed about N20, 000, 000 on behalf of the kidnappers.
“He has confirmed that the group led by the suspect at large, has over 15 members, all having AK-47 rifles and that, there are sub groups under him,” he said.
Igweh said the suspects would be charged to court upon completion of investigation.