The Imo State Police Command has said that three members of the gang of armed robbers
who shot and killed two police officers during a robbery attack on a Zenith Bank branch in Owerri, the state capital, early this year have been arrested.
The Imo State Commissioner of Police, Chris Ezike announced this in Owerri on Tuesday.
According to Ezike, during the robbers’ attack on the bank, one of the armed bandits later identified as Ikechukwu Okpara, was shot dead by Sgt. Chukwudi Iboko.
The Imo police boss noted that both Iboko and Sgt. Sunday Agbo later died from injuries sustained during the shoot-out with the robbers at the bank.
He added that both police officers died while receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri.
Three of the armed robbery suspects arrested, he said, included Justice Ogbona, 36; Abiye Charles and Ikechukwu Nwanegbo, aka “Modestus.”
Exhibits recovered from the suspects included an Ak 47 rifles with 100 round of live ammunition, an Ak 47 rifle breech numbered 180-30-06723 with one round of live ammunition and an AK 49 with 175 rounds of ammunition.
The police boss said that different brands of stolen vehicles were also recovered from the suspects.
Ezike stated that the two policemen killed by the robbers and another seriously injured and survived the attack, Otu Attang, remained uncommon heroes, adding that they were “gallant, professional, courageous and displayed encouraging passion in defence of lives and property.”
He said that the command had recommended the two dead officers and the surviving policeman to the Inspector General of Police for special promotions.
Ezike also said that Zenith Bank had promised scholarship for the children of the deceased officers up to the
university level.
