A gang of 13 serving Nigerian soldiers and civilians specialised in hijacking goods-bearing trucks, raiding warehouses and other criminal acts has been arrested by the police in Rivers State.
Members of the gang were arrested for attempted burglary by operatives of the Rivers State Police Command and were paraded on Monday in Port Harcourt.
Parading the suspects, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), of the command, SP. Grace Iringe-koko disclosed that on March 4, 2024, at approximately 11:00 p.m, the Rivers State Police Command received a distress call about burglars who were attempting to vandalize warehouses in Elimgbu owned by Mr. Emmanuel Nwangwu and Mrs. Ndifreke Ekanem.
She said the police promptly mobilized to the scene and arrested five suspects who had already been severely beaten by a mob.
According to her, the wounded suspects were taken to the police hospital as investigations began.
During the investigation, she added that it was discovered that one of the suspects, West Isaac was a corporal in the Nigerian Army serving in Delta State with number 08NA/61/2653.
Another suspect, Jabila Kammangar, also known as ‘Kaka,’ she disclosed was an officer of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps serving in Kabba, Kogi State.
She said they confessed to abandoning their posts to engage in criminal activities in Rivers State due to its lucrativeness.
Corporal West, a 36-year-old father-of-four from Buguma, Rivers State, joined the Nigerian Army in 2008 and was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, Effurun near Warri.
He left his base on a sick pass and failed to return even after it expired, remaining absent for over a month until his arrest.
West disclosed to the police that he met Kaka while serving in the Army’s Anti-Bunkering Unit, and together, they engaged in several illegal activities.
He further revealed that he came to Port Harcourt after receiving a call from Kaka about raiding warehouses, which led to their capture.
Further investigations revealed that they were part of a larger criminal ring specialized in armed robbery, hijacking, and goods diversion.
Corporal West disclosed to the police that he and other Army personnel had been key players in the group.
Besides ransacking warehouses, the PPRO said they had a network of informants who provided information about the schedules of goods-bearing trailers.
According to her, they would then dress in full military gear, lay in wait for the trailers, and accost them with a white Hilux van as they approached.
They would intimidate the drivers, assault them, and hand their keys to designated drivers, who would then divert the trailers to waiting receivers.
Based on his confessional statement, she said the police were able to track down and arrest Lance Corporal Abdul Musa (13NA/70/10545), Lance Corporal Mgbe Jeoffrey (16NA/75/6896), and Corporal Innocent Okwoli (12NA/68/6552), all soldiers of the Nigerian Army.
Also, eight civilian collaborators in the syndicate were arrested namely: Olisa Emeka, George Obilor, Sampson Wilson, Alfred Abeke, Barry John, Auwalu Aliyu, Uchenna Nwali, and Alhaji Sofinu Haruna.
The group’s key coordinator she disclosed was Corporal Innocent Okwoli, a native of Otakpo in Benue State and a soldier stationed at Intels in Onne.
Okwoli stated that he started leading hijacking operations after being introduced to the crime by one Abbas and two unnamed Naval officers.
Following a successful operation, he formed his team.
Sp. Grace Iringe-koko gave the timeline of the crimes allegedly committed by the suspects as follows:
“The hijacking of a trailer loaded with fertilizer valued at N25 million, owned by Alhaji Sadiq Adams, occurred on February 17, 2024.
“On March 4, 2024, the group attempted to burgle warehouses owned by Emmanuel Nwagwu and Ndifreke Ekanem.
“In February 2024, a 40-foot container filled with imported clothing from China was hijacked and diverted.
“In February 2024, a trailer carrying POP cement was hijacked and diverted. The police have since recovered the stolen POP cement and are working to retrieve a trailer load of fertilizer from its receiver.
“Additionally, a white Toyota Hilux used in the gang’s operations has been recovered from the NSCDC officer.
“Three of the affected soldiers have been dismissed by the Nigerian Army after being handed over by the police.
“Rivers State Commissioner of Police, CP Olatunji Disu, expressed his profound appreciation for the swift and decisive cooperation of the military authorities.
“He lauded their prompt actions in addressing the involved officers’ misconduct and subsequent handover to the police for prosecution.
“CP Disu emphasized that this collaborative effort underscores a strong commitment to upholding justice and maintaining public trust in law enforcement institutions.
“He praised the police officers involved in the arrest and urged them to remain vigilant.”
