Mid Monday morning, the Police in Calabar, Cross River State, acting on a tip-off, smashed a notorious five man robbery gang that had successfully robbed a wine retailer and was making away with their loot when the Police responded and engaged the robbers in a gun battle.
The ensuing gun battle left three of the robbers dead on the spot while one robber escaped with bullet wounds. The fifth member of the gang was arrested just like the one who escaped with bullet wounds was later traced to where he had taken off to and immediately arrested by men of the Police.
At the CRS Police headquarters, Diamond Hill, Calabar, where the gang of five was taken to, it was revealed to www.calitown.com that one of the robbers was recently set free after the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, DPP, CRS, intervened. “Look at the other one lying down there, he was my suspect and before I could conclude investigations, his release was secured by his family through the DPP. Now he has gone to rob and has met his waterloo”, a police source in Diamond Hill, told www.calitown.com.
Irene Ugbo, CRS Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, told www.calitown.com that, “N261, 000, in cash, as well as three locally made pistols with live ammunition, were recovered from the robbers. Unfortunately, these robbers are not from here, they come from outside the state and carry their nefarious activities but I can assure you that the Police will respond adequately as my boss, the Commissioner of Police, has given us marching orders that those who perpetrate crime in this state must be brought to book. I want to plead that members of the public should help with giving the Police valuable information”. At press time, only one of the robbers seemed alive as four lay stone dead from visible gunshot wounds seen on their bodies.
