Robbery suspects who tried burning victims alive arrested in Calabar

TRACKING____Two armed robbery suspects who tried to burn their victims alive while robbing a household have been arrested in Calabar.

The Cross River State Police Command at the weekend also disclosed that they also rescued a kidnap victim with the assistance of the community while his assailants escaped when they discovered the police were on their trail.

Vanguard learned that the robbery suspects who poured fuel on their victims if they raised an alarm were 22-year-old Oke Sheriff and Eyo Nsa Etim, 35 who have confessed to the crime and would be charged to Court

Speaking with newsmen on Saturday, the Commissioner of Police, Abdulkadir Jimoh, said despite the situation of things in the country his men are still poised to do their job and effectively police the state.

According to him, five suspects were apprehended for various crimes including armed robbery, illegal possession of firearms, Cultism and looting.

He hinted that one of such were two armed robbery suspects who tried to burn their victims alive while he and his family were being robbed at their residence at State Housing Estate, Calabar Municipality LGA of Cross River.

The Commissioner explained that during a discreet investigation it was revealed that the suspects jumped into their victims compound entered through the kitchen injured the children with a knife.

Speaking further, he said they (suspects) also tied their victims down, poured fuel on their bed and their body, threatened to set them ablaze if they raised an alarm, but they struggled with the robbers and alerted their parents who came in and overpowered the suspects and then called the police.

Jimoh: “Our Creed is not waging war on criminals as well as detection and prevention of crime but also putting up valiant measures to ensure that relative peace is experienced in all facets of life especially this period of security challenges.

“Let me assure residents that this command’s resolve to conscientiously operate within the principles of Justice, fairness and equity as enshrined in the established laws of the state and the Federation is of utmost importance.

“Within the period under review, the Command, in her efforts to rid off and bring crime to it’s barest minimum, recorded some achievements.

“They include the arrest of armed robbery suspects, rescue of a kidnap victim, arrest of suspects for unlawful possession of firearms and sundry crime.

“At this juncture, the Command enjoins all and sundry to be wary, conscious and proactive of the happenings in their respective environments, whether residential or recreational centres at all times,” he said.

The Police boss also revealed that they rescued one Emmanuel Akpan at Ebuka Ebuka Street in Calabar South LGA while some hoodlums were trying to abduct him.

He said they had the assistance from the Anantigha Community in the rescue operation while appealing to the public to always make it a point of duty to pass useful information to the police for actionable analysis and prompt response at all levels.