By Stephen Simon
The Cross River State Police Command has arrested six suspects in connection with alleged burglary, stealing and robbery incidents in Calabar, including the theft of goods and cash valued at about N49.15 million from a technology company.
The arrests were made by operatives of the command’s Violence Crime Response Unit (VCRU), following separate investigations into the burglary of Royaline Technologies and alleged robbery attempts at filling stations around the University of Calabar area.
The command’s spokesperson, ASP Sunday Eitokpah, said four suspects were arrested over the June 3 burglary of Royaline Technologies at 49 Ettagbor Road, Calabar.
The suspects were identified as Hassan Ahmad, 38; Jabiru Ibrahim, 35; Usman Isa Garuba, 22; and Abdullalim Hassan, 23. Police said preliminary investigations indicated that they were members of an alleged six-man gang that broke into the premises and stole 62 mobile phones of various models, accessories, speakers, earphones and N529,000 cash, with the total value of the stolen property estimated at N49,150,715.
Eitokpah said Ibrahim was traced to Kano State, where he was arrested on September 2 and subsequently brought to Calabar on September 3. Police said efforts were continuing to apprehend the remaining members of the alleged gang and recover the stolen property.
In a separate operation on September 9, VCRU operatives rescued two suspects, Samuel Udo Udo, 29, and Ezekiel Dominic, 22, from an angry mob after they were allegedly caught in connection with robbery incidents involving filling stations around the University of Calabar. Police said the suspects had allegedly posed as customers before threatening attendants and fleeing with fuel.
The operatives reportedly recovered 20 litres of petrol and a blue tricycle from the suspects and prevented them from being subjected to jungle justice. Commissioner of Police, Ajo Geoffrey Ordue, commended the VCRU for its operations and directed that the cases be thoroughly investigated, while urging residents to hand suspected criminals over to the police rather than take the law into their own hands.
