The Nigeria Police Force, Ebonyi State Command, has dismantled a motorcycle-snatching syndicate operating within and outside the state, leading to the recovery of 11 stolen motorcycles.
The Police Public Relations Officer of the Command, SP Joshua Ukandu, disclosed this in a press release made available to journalists.
According to the statement, the breakthrough was achieved under the leadership of the Commissioner of Police, CP Hope Urunwa Okafor.
Ukandu said the operation followed a complaint lodged at the Central Police Station, Abakaliki, by one Eze Christian Ifeanyi, who reported that his motorcycle was stolen from a bank premises in Ikom, Cross River State.
He explained that acting on credible intelligence gathered during investigations, police operatives arrested a suspect identified as Anaeto Emmanuel.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect specialised in buying stolen motorcycles from members of the syndicate and reselling them to unsuspecting members of the public.
The police spokesperson further disclosed that sustained intelligence-driven operations led to the tracing and recovery of 11 motorcycles stolen at different times from various locations in Ebonyi and Cross River states.
The Command also called on members of the public whose motorcycles were stolen to visit the Central Police Station, Abakaliki, with relevant documents for identification and possible recovery of their motorcycles.
“The Nigeria Police Force, Ebonyi State Command, under the leadership of the Commissioner of Police, CP Hope Urunwa Okafor, psc, mnips, has recorded another significant breakthrough in its fight against crime with the dismantling of a motorcycle snatching syndicate operating within and outside the State.
“The breakthrough followed a report received at the Central Police Station, Abakaliki, from one Eze Christian Ifeanyi, who reported that his motorcycle had been stolen from a bank premises in Ikom, Cross River State. Acting on the report and credible intelligence gathered during the investigation, operatives arrested one Anaeto Emmanuel.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect specialises in purchasing stolen motorcycles from members of the syndicate and reselling them to unsuspecting members of the public.
“Following a painstaking and intelligence-driven investigation, operatives successfully traced and recovered eleven motorcycles stolen at different times and from various locations across Ebonyi and Cross River States.
“The Command is using this medium to call on members of the public whose motorcycles were stolen to visit the Central Police Station, Abakaliki, with relevant documents for possible identification and recovery of their motorcycles.”