Task force arrests 9, recovers guns in Abia

The National Task Force (NATFORCE), Abia State Command, has arrested nine persons for adulterating fuel and kerosene products in the Aba axis of the state. Displaying the seized petroleum products to newsmen in Aba yesterday, the State Director of NATFORCE, Mr. Silas Ihemeremadu, disclosed that the products which were found on them were also confiscated, […]

The National Task Force (NATFORCE), Abia State Command, has arrested nine persons for adulterating fuel and kerosene products in the Aba axis of the state.

Displaying the seized petroleum products to newsmen in Aba yesterday, the State Director of NATFORCE, Mr. Silas Ihemeremadu, disclosed that the products which were found on them were also confiscated, adding that the suspects had been handed over to the appropriate authorities for prosecution.

He declared that NATFORCE achieved the feat when it raided the hideouts of the suspects at Ekeakpara in Osisioma Local Government Area and some parts of Ugwuanagbo, saying the raid was carried out following a tip-off. 

Ihemeremadu further revealed that his men recently intercepted eight trailers carrying banned goods across the boundary of Abia State and that an unspecified number of trucks conveying petroleum products suspected to have been bunkered were also intercepted.

In addition to that, NATFORCE also handed over four locally made short guns, ammunition, and other recovered items from another set of hoodlums in Abaya-Ariaria village, Osisioma Ngwa Local Government Area to the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone 9, Mr. Hosea Hassan Karma. 

Ihemeremadu noted that the command got intelligence report from the community on how they attacked traders in the mornings and late at night along the road. 

Receiving the suspects and recovered items, the AIG incharge of Zone 9, who was represented by the zone’s spokesman, DSP Egwu Chukwu Janet, said the operation was in line with the directive of the inspector General of Police to all states and zones to mop up fire arms from the hands of unauthorised persons and return them to the police.