… Police confirms arrest of 3
Last Wednesday, the Traditional Prime Minister of Ibeku Ancient Kingdom, High Chief Uche James Akwukwaegbu was robbed of belongings worth several millions of naira right here in Umuahia.
He has therefore advised for the return of Police and military checkpoints in Abia State.
Akwukwaegbu, popularly known by his business name, Bawas regretted “If the checkpoints were there, they wouldn’t have done what they did to me”.
Bawas disclosed that about 12 pm that Wednesday, he was coming back from the Imo Airport where he went to pick up his son who was returning from the US.
Shortly before the Army checkpoint at Umuokpara, one tricycle (Keke) blocked him and in trying to avoid the keke, “I nearly ran into the bush”, he said.
He continued: “I stopped to know what it was all about and people trooped out from the bush and started beating me.
“Nothing happened to the driver of the keke and he was strong. However, I decided to look at the driver and see if there was the need to assist him.
“I did not know that the driver was used as a trap and therefore was stage managed.
“They started beating me, asked me to bring money and wanted to snatch my car key from me”.
Bawas said that he recalled that in a similar circumstance, people snatched somebody’s car, and “I zoomed off”.
“While rushing to the Area Command of the Police to lodge a complaint, they came after me on bikes and blocked me at the Mission Hill side of Umuahia and robbed me of the N200,000.00 with me, my son’s luggage containing $15,000.00, a phone worth several thousands of dollars”, and his “Movedo” watch also worth several thousands of dollars.
High Chief Akwukwegbu said he later ran to the Area Commander and the Umuahia DPO who, he said “did very well by detailing their men to my rescue” and arrested some of them who are now cooling their heels at the police cells.
He therefore, advised that the army and police should go back to checkpoints to forestall such robberies on the roads.
“I escaped death, along with my two sons in the car. They injured my son and beat me like a common criminal at Mission Hill, opposite Okigwe Park, Umuahia and people were looking on as if I killed someone.
“After robbing me, they ran away and that was when people knew they were criminals”, he said.
Meanwhile, the Abia State Police Public Relations Officer, Geoffrey Ogbonna has confirmed the incident, stating that already three of the suspects are in the police custody.
SOURCE:The Renaissance News
