Operation Puff Adder: Police smash 419 syndicate, nab 6



As part of the recently launched Operation Puff Adder the FCT Police command has said that its operatives have smashed a 419 syndicate, even as four members of the gang and two suspected ATM and petrol station robbers have been arrested.


The command in a press statement by its Deputy Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Danjuma Gajere, in Abuja, said, ” April 19, 2019, at about 0930hrs one Mr Samuel blocked a Nissan Sunny vehicle behind area 1 plaza with 4 four occupants. A Police team around the area was alerted and rushed to the scene.


“Upon arrival the Police team were informed of the incident that took place in Area 3 where a young woman who boarded a vehicle from Wuse was disposed of her property and pushed out of the vehicle by the suspects: Rose Ogah, 40; Vicent Uche, 23; Dickson, 46; and Daniel Ndijiaku, 54; all of Ungwan Cement, Karimo.”


The spokesperson said: “They were then taken to Garki Division upon interrogation. They confessed to being a syndicate of 419ners who pick unsuspected members of the public in the name of commercial transport and end up robbing them of their hard earn belongings.”


He said the suspects would soon be charge to court.
In a related development, the command said it also arrested two suspected armed robbers specialised in robbing at petrol station and ATM gallery.


“On April 11, 2019, at about 22:50hrs, our men on stop and search by Turkish International School along IBB way, Maitama intercepted a Honda Accord (End of Discussion), light green colour with registration number EV 261 ABJ with three occupants, namely: Sunday Christopher, 35; Jibrin Umar, 25; and Gaddafi Haruna.
“When asked for identification,  Christopher  identified himself as military man and not when satisfied with his explanation they were asked to come down from the vehicle for proper search. A bag containing an AK 47 riffle with 40 rounds of live ammunition was discovered and in the process the third suspect, Gaddafi, took to his heels.


“Upon interrogation the gang confessed for robberies at filling stations and ATM galleries within the FCT.”
According to them, “They will approach a fuel attendant at filling station and ask for a full tank refill. Immediately after taking the fuel, they point a gun at the attendant and collect the day’s sales and zoom off.
“At ATM galleries they pin down and watch customers withdrawing, after which they will follow the customers with large withdrawals and dispossess them of same.”
He said when asked about the vehicle the gang was using, they confessed to it having robbed the owner of it at Command Junction, Kaduna state, after shooting the occupant.


The spokesperson said investigation was on-going as well as effort to arrest the fleeing gang member.

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