‘Bad Condition’ Pushed Me To Snatch Cars In Abuja — Kogi Resident Confesses
A resident of Kogi State, Zakari Arome has confessed to snatching cars from both commercial and Uber drivers in Abuja following the bad situation of things in the family.
Arome in an interview with THE WHISTLER on Tuesday said he comes from Lokoja, Kogi State capital to Abuja to perpetrate the act along with two others now at large.
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Arome spoke to THE WHISTLER on the sideline after he and 42 others were paraded at the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Command on Tuesday.
He claimed to be a farmer but revealed that snatching cars from unsuspecting car owners became a fast means to making money following his mother’s ailing health.
Arome and his gang would book Uber Services, a controlled and licenced commercial transport company, and forcefully take away their vehicle, in most cases harming the drivers.
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The suspect confessed to having only been involved in the operations twice with the first being successful. He said the car was sold to a dealer whom he claimed not to be aware of.
Responding to queries from our correspondent, Arome said, “We try to collect cars. We stop them along the main road. We will drag them out of the vehicle, enter it and zoom off. But this last one, we tried to collect, it was not possible.”
The Investigation Police Office (IPO) handling the case told THE WHISTLER that Arome met his Waterloo on October 8 while his gang made attempts to hijack a Toyota Corolla car with Reg No. YAB 885 CY from the owner at gunpoint.
Operatives of the police on patrol had intercepted the syndicate and recused the victim. However, Arome’s attempt to escape failed and upon his arrest confessed to his involvement in the crime.
The police said the suspect is cooperating with an ongoing investigation to arrest other gang members on the run.
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Arome is among the three suspects of car theft arrested and paraded by the police.
In another development, operatives of Gwagwalada Division on November 8, arrested Chukwunonso Nweke for illegal possession of four pump action shotguns and 30 rounds of live cartridges.
Nweke was arrested at Wazobia Park Gwagwalada where he claims to work.
The FCT Police Commissioner of Police, Haruna Garba while parading the suspect said Nweke had taken delivery of the rifles concealed in a bag from Onitsha.
“In the course of the investigation, the suspect led the police operatives to the arrest of two others of his accomplices namely; Izuchukwu Odoh and Chinedu Nwakam. The suspects confessed to their roles in the crime and will be arraigned in court soon,” Garba said.
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Speaking to THE WHISTLER in an interview, Nweke claimed to have no prior relationship with the individual who sent the concealed bag. He said he only eavesdropped on a conversation at the motor park about unclaimed property.
He told our correspondent that he claimed the bag on the condition to pay N40,000 which he did, and subsequently sold the weapon at N330,000.
When asked if he sold weapons in addition to working in a motor park, he said, “No, it is the devil”.
The FCT police paraded 43 suspects at its command including 11 one-chance suspects, seven suspected kidnappers/informants and one suspected cultist among others.
The police recovered three stolen vehicles, five firearms and 30 ammunition. One suspected kidnapper was said to have been killed in the course of the police operation.
