*Recover cache of arms, stolen refrigerators others.
Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
Operatives of Rivers State Police Command have arrested a fully kitted fake Police Inspector wearing Police camouflage.
Others arrested include: three dismissed soldiers who were leaders of various notorious armed robbery gangs operation in and outside Rivers State.
Those arrested include; John Lucas also operated a gang that specialised in recruiting guns for hire for his criminal activities. He was also involved in highway robbery, successfully diverting 56 Skyrun refrigerators in Akwa Ibom State. Recovered from him are IEDs, numerous Military Uniforms, five Skyrun refrigerators and the Black Highlander vehicle used on the day Ndidi Livingstone the then Community Development Council (CDC) Chairman of Mgbuoshimini, Ndidi Livingstone on 13th January 2024 in front his church, the Peculiar Faith Ministries, Rumueme, Obio-Akpor local Government Area.
CP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, Rivers State Commissioner of Police disclosed this to Journalists in Port Harcourt while parading the suspects and displaying of cache of arms and other exhibits recovered from suspects.
He stated that John Lucas,34 years old from Logoro LGA, Bauchi State, was a dismissed Lance Corporal from the Nigeria Army for desertion in 2014. He had been to prison for drug trafficking and since his release, he has been involved in all sorts of crimes.
Disu explained further that John Lucas also operated a gang that specialised in recruiting guns for hire for his criminal activities. He was also involved in highway robbery, successfully diverting 56 Skyrun refrigerators in Akwa Ibom State. Recovered from him are IEDs, numerous Military Uniforms, five Skyrun refrigerators and the Black Highlander vehicle used on the day Chief Livingstone was murdered.
Also nabbed is Adebayo Adebayo,48 years from Ado Ekiti LGA, Ekiti State, a dismissed Sergeant from the Nigeria Army in 2019. John Lucas recruited him to join in the assassination of Ndidi Livingstone. He was seen in the video wearing a special forces shirt.
CP Disu also told Journalists in that operation recalled how four men stormed the church, dragged the victim out and murdered him, shooting him four times with AK-47 rifles, in the presence of his wife, son and congregants of the church.
He said the cold-blooded murder which was carried out in broad daylight was captured in a viral video that sparked outrage. I directed a team of Operatives of the FID-Intelligence Response Team and the Rivers State Command on a nationwide manhunt for the killers.
Disu said the special team identified the four men in the video including the mastermind of the assassination, Peter Daddy Chukwu who was hunted down to a hideout in Ibusa, Delta State on April 5, 2024. His attempt to resist arrest led to his death.
Also, nabbed was Chimezie Adiele,29 years from Osisioma Local Government Area, Abia State, a dismissed Lance Corporal from the Nigerian Army. He was said to have been recruited by John Lucas for the armed robbery operation where 56 Skyrun refrigerators were stolen. His share of the loot was four refrigerators.
According to the Police boss, during the investigation, four of the suspects, John Lucas, Nnamdi Emmanuel, Ogolo Promise, and Adebayo Adebayo led Operatives to one of their camps at Pipeline, Aluu village for the recovery of their cache of weapons.
While approaching the camp, they came under heavy gunfire by hoodlums suspected to be fellow gang members. The suspects attempted to escape in the ensuing ambush but were caught in the crossfire. The hoodlums were eventually overpowered, and the suspects rushed to UPTH for medical attention. The Doctor confirmed them dead, and they were deposited in the UPTH morgue for autopsy.
He assured that the suspects will be charged in Court as soon as investigations are concluded. Total arm and ammunition recovered include 2 AK-47 rifles,1 Assault rifle, 2 SMG rifles,1 Shotgun riffle, 10 magazines,150 rounds of live ammunition and 1 Pistol.
Police said that efforts are still in top gear to apprehend more suspects connected to Daddy Chukwu’s criminal network and possibly recover more arms & ammunition.
In a related development, on August 9, 2024, at about 11.45 pm, operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Rivers State Police Command responded to an intelligence report of a criminal operation in Luegbo Community in Khana Local Government Area.
Also arrested was one Fred Monday, a 31-year-old from Wiyakara Community in Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State and resident at F-man Close, Eneka Link Road, Port Harcourt, fully dressed in Police camouflage and donning the rank of an Inspector of Police. He was armed with an AK-47 rifle, ten magazines and twenty-nine rounds of live ammunition.
The fake Police Inspector allegedly confessed to being an impostor who bought the rifle in 2021 for NGN 850,000 from an accomplice to armed robbery suspects. He also bought ten magazines, thirty-one rounds of ammunition and two hand grenades from the same wanted criminal gangs. He disclosed to the Police how he and other gang members would disguise as Policemen to escort criminals to operate in different states, including, Akwa-Ibom, Edo, Delta and Rivers State.
The fake Inspector is said to have confessed to being a member of the Iceland cult group and has been carrying out numerous crimes using the cover of being a Policeman to terrorise his victims. He is also an armed robber who operated as a Keke (tricycle) rider during the day, scanning the area for possible victims to attack under the cover of night.
The investigation is still on as the Police is getting closer to rounding up other members of his gang.