Police arrest 16-year-old arm supplier girl, wound final political science student, gundown 23-year-old suspect
By Our Crime Correspondent
Authorities of the Bayelsa state police command have confirmed the arrest a 16-year-old girl, for allegedly supplying arms and ammunition to a gang of cultist who rob residents in Yenagoa led by her boyfriend.
The spokesman of the command, DSP. Asinim Butswat, said in statement that the arrest followed counter security measures code-named ‘Operation Safer Bayelsa’ put in place by the command to confront violent crimes in the state.
He said the gang which the girl supplied and kept deadly arms had been terrorising residents and robbing them of their belongings, adding that the young men opened fire on security personnel in Azikoro, Yenagoa.
The incident, which happened on Sunday morning,, led to the death of one of the suspects, while another was severely wounded.
According to the statement issued by the spokesman of the police command, Asimin Butswat, “On April 8, 2018, at about 0200hrs, the command control room alerted the Azikoro Divisional Police Anti-Robbery Team that armed robbers were operating behind Azikoro Health Care Centre, Azikoro, Yenagoa.
“The team responded swiftly and met about three daredevil armed robbers on the spot, the robbers engaged the police in a gun duel, police exchanged fire and gunned down one of the robbers and injured another.
“The team recovered one locally made cut-to-size gun, two live cartridges, eight mobile phones some jewelry and some cash,” Butswat said.
The command identified the victims of the robbery attack as Iprebo Ayebanengiyefa, 40 years, one Awubare, 39-year and one Sunny Peter, 42, all males who have identified their valuables among those recovered from the suspects.
“One of the suspects identified as Selepamodei Ogili, 23 years, a jailbird has died as a result of the gunshot wound, the other suspect one Kimipanipre P. Franklin AKA Castro ‘m’ 22 years, a final year Political Science student of Niger Delta University (NDU), was wounded.
“He confessed that they are members of Bobos cult group, the third suspect is at large and effort has been intensified to arrest him. Further investigation has led to arrest of one the 16-year-old girlfriend of the deceased suspect who is allegedly their armourer,” Butswat said.
Cultists continue to terrorize the state even as NGOs and security operatives intensifies their campaign against cultism with their recent operation being the broad daylight robbery at the famous UP market in Yenagoa. A gang of robbers numbering up to 12, armed to the teeth had stormed the market and carted away with people’s belongings worth millions of naira, on April 1st, 2018.
