Enugu Police Bust Armed Syndicate Behind Mini Truck Hijackings
The Enugu State Police Command has dismantled an armed robbery syndicate specializing in hijacking mini trucks, following a successful operation by operatives attached to the Ozalla Police Division in collaboration with Neighbourhood Watch personnel.
The operation, carried out on Sunday, led to the arrest of a 35-year-old suspect, Chinedu Onwuka, and the rescue of a truck driver who had been abducted and tied to a tree in a remote bush. The stolen vehicle, a Daihatsu Hijet mini truck commonly referred to as “Diana,” was also recovered.
According to the Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Daniel Ndukwe, the syndicate had hired the unsuspecting driver under the pretense of transporting bags of sand from the Ogbete area of Enugu metropolis to Umuatuaboma in Nkanu West Local Government Area.
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“However, along the Umuatuaboma–Obuofia Road, they diverted the vehicle into a bush at gunpoint, tied the driver to a tree, and made away with the truck,” Ndukwe said in a statement issued on Wednesday.
Prompt action by security personnel led to the swift arrest of Onwuka, while his accomplices managed to escape.
During interrogation, the suspect reportedly confessed to the crime and admitted involvement in a similar hijacking in April, for which he received ₦90,000 as his share of the proceeds from the sale of another stolen mini truck.
Investigations are ongoing to apprehend the fleeing members of the gang.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Mamman Giwa, commended the swift response of the operatives and reiterated the Command’s commitment to ridding the state of criminal elements. He also urged truck operators to remain vigilant and exercise caution when accepting transport jobs—particularly from unfamiliar individuals or to isolated destinations.
by PRNigeria
