Olu Samuel, Lokoja
The Kogi state police command has confirmed the arrest of a police inspector,Aminu Mohammed over robbery of residence of those around his duty station,The ‘C’ division in Lokoja,the state capital.
Our correspondent gathered that nemesis caught up with the officer on Sunday after a robbery incident who further checks revealed has been involved in several similar cases in the past.
The public relations officer of the state police command,SP William Aya told journalists on Tuesday in Lokoja that “luck ran out of him this time following the escapades of a notorious gang of armed robbers who specialises in robbing houses of household items and cars”.
” The car was found in the workshop of the policeman’s panel beater, Arome Moses, who was already working on changing the car’s colour at Ochadamu near Anyigba in the Eastern part of the state.
Those who know the vehicle and were aware of the robbery incident that occured in the owner’s house on 14th June, 2024, quickly raised alarm upon sighting the car.
The car’s plate number had already been changed to an Abuja number just as a car dealer’s receipt, backdated to 2020, was presented by the officer as his evidence of purchasing it.
His panel beater had primed the car preparatory to changing its color before the alarm was raised.
After raising the alarm, policemen of the Quick Response Unit (QRU) attached to the Police Area Command, Idah, were quickly invited and the panel beater was apprehended.
Upon reaching the ‘A’ Division in Lokoja, where the QRU took the apprehended panel beater, it was found that the criminals who committed the robbery have already been arrested for the commission of another crime.
One of the members of the gang of armed robbers, who had also been on police wanted list for other crimes, confessed to the commission of the robbery and named the police officer as the mastermind.
He confessed that they were contracted to rob the house of the owner of the car for the sole aim of getting the car for him.
Other sources from the police officer’s village, Akpakidigbo, revealed that he has brought uncountable number of cars to his palatial mansion in the village in the past thereby raising suspicions over his source of income and the conclusion that he has been thriving on proceeds of crime.
The community is accordingly waiting to see the outcome of the matter pointing out that the state government under His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, has been assuring on providing adequate security for the state.
They are however worried that the involvement of the police officer in robbing citizens and residents of the state is already sending a wrong signal and may truncate government’s efforts at providing security. They are therefore angling for justice to be done in this matter as deterrence to others.
Similarly, sources close to the police headquarters in the state disclosed that the commissioner of police in the state has personally picked interest in the matter having earlier vowed not to condone any act that will tarnish the image of the force.
People are however waiting to see when the suspect would be taken to court for prosecution in line with the government’s agenda of not covering up criminal activities in the state regardless of who is involved.
SP William Ayah said that the police officer has been arrested and already detention adding that the Commissioner of Police, Kogi State, Bertrand Onuoha has ordered thorough investigation before next line of action can be taken over the alleged misconduct.