About three policemen in Edo state attached to the state’s special anti-crime outfit, “Operation Wabaizigan” have been dismissed and presently being prosecuted at a Benin High Court over two missing rifles which they are being alleged to have conspired and stolen the arms.
The three policemen were identified in the charge sheet as Uzor Emmanuel aged 34, Akharamen Michael, 31, and Jimoh Halilu, 27 who was alleged to have committed the offence at Obodo Guest House, Uwasota Road, Ugbowo, Benin City on July 17, 2019.
It would be recalled that a salesgirl, security personnel and manager of the guest house where the guns were allegedly stolen were reported quizzed and granted bail.
NAN gathered on Monday, August 26, 2019, that the two junior officers allegedly gave their guns to Sergeant Emmanuel who was their team leader and was said to have checked into a guest house with a female companion and was said to have raised alarm at about 2 am that two of the three rifles he took into his room had been stolen while he was inside the toilet.
But the owner of the guest house, Mr Obodo Otuya called for a full investigation into the incident as he alleged that claims by SGT Emmanuel were questionable saying that reports from his staff showed that Sgt Emmanuel checked in with one AK-47 rifle and a lady.
Count two of the charge preferred against the three defendants who were now described as former police officers stated that the trio had on the said date, time and Judicial Division, “did steal two AK 47 rifles with Breach No’s, 11479 with twenty-five rounds of live ammunition and Breach No, 05766 with nine rounds of live ammunition valued one million seventy-seven thousands Naira (1, 770, 000.00), property of the Nigeria Police Force, Edo State Police Command.”
The three dismissed policemen were also charged with intent to commit a felony and heinous crimes like armed robbery, kidnapping, murder and other violent crimes by intentionally and unlawfully keeping the rifles and live ammunitions in their custody.
They were said to have committed offences punishable under Section 390 (6) (9) of the Criminal Code Act Cap c38 Vol. 4, and Section 3 (1) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provision) Act Cap R11 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, respectively.
The police in Edo State have in recent past lost ammunition to hoodlums and none has been announced to have been recovered.
Among reported incidents were the Command had lost some arms and ammunition were the attacks on Afuze Divisional Police Headquarters in Owan East local government area of Edo State on March 11, 2019, where a DPO, an Inspector, a corporal and a pregnant Sergeant were killed and the hoodlums allegedly took away four AK-47 rifles and one Berretta pistol.
Three policemen were also killed in Ogba Zoological Gardens, Airport Road, Benin City, last year when suspected kidnappers kidnapped the manager of the facility and killed three policemen on duty and went away with their guns.
