Police arrest herdsmen plotting to rob bank customers

Three suspected Fulani herdsmen have been arrested by the Abia State Police Command for allegedly attempting to rob some bank customers at Ohafia.

Parading the suspects in Umuahia, Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Adamu , said the armed herdsmen on a motorcycle were nabbed by policemen around 7pm near a bank at Ohafia, where they were laying siege on customers withdrawing money via the Automated Teller Machine.Continue...

The commissioner said the suspects, who were observed making suspicious movements around the bank premises, were closely monitored and later apprehended.

He said the police recovered a locally-made pistol, live cartridges and long knives hidden under their flowing gowns and suits.

One of the suspects, who managed to communicate in pidgin English as others could only speak Fulani language, admitted ownership of the gun, but said the intention was not to rob as allegd by the police.

He said the gun was one of their tools as a cattle rearer and that they were around the vicinity to look for food.

The police, however, insisted that the herdsmen were not permitted to carry arms.

Other suspects paraded were three middle-aged, who were men arrested with a Toyota Camry marked, LAGOS, EPE 392 AY, as they were cruising to Aba.

The CP said when they were flagged down and asked to produce the particulars of the car, they could not, but instead offered a bribe of N10,000 to the policemen on roadblock .

Suspecting a foul play, they were arrested and upon investigation, the telephone number of the owner was discovered.

It was learnt that after the owner was contacted, the police were told the car was snatched at Osumenyi Nnewi, Anambra State at gun point around 9.30 pm on March 12, 2014.

The owner identified one of the suspects and was full of thanks to the police for recovering his vehicle .

One of the suspects, Emeka, said he was a mechanic in Aba , Abia State and was contacted by his cousin to repair the said vehicle for his ( cousin’s) friend, adding that after repairing the car, he was asked to drive it to Aba.

“I was only paid N3000 to repair the car and after repairing it, they pleaded with me to help drive them to Aba,” the mechanic said, insisting that he was innocent of the crime.