By Izunna Okafor, Awka
A commercial shuttle bus driver operating in Anambra State has gallantry apprehended a member of a ‘One Chance’ robbery syndicate during operation inside his shuttle bus.
The driver, identified as Obinna Ekeze from Awkuzu community, shuttles between Onitsha and Awka, and was on his final trip for the day before the incident happened.
Recounting what transpired, Ekeze said the apprehended suspect and his gang who is currently on the run, boarded his shuttle bus at Tarzan Junction Onitsha, pretending to be going to Igbariam. He said he even gave them a discount of 400 naira from their fare when they pleaded with him, given that it was already night and that there was only one space left in his bus, which meant that they would have to endure some level of discomfort.
He, however, said that as they approached Umunya, one of the gang member pulled out his pistol, cocked the gun, and ordered the driver to stop for them to do their job, pointing the gun at his head and threatening to shatter his head with bullet if he moved an inch further.
According to him, the criminals dispossessed everybody in the bus of all the cash they had and order him to continue moving while they continued searching the people for more money. He said the gang members initially didn’t want to collect phones in place of money, because to avoid being tracked.
Ekeze further recounted that the criminals later announced in the vehicle that the cash they got from the passengers was below their expectation, and therefore began to compel the people to start making transfers from their bank accounts to up the money, or have their phones seized. He noted that they even beat up some passengers who attempted to hide their phones, as well as those who tried to explain that they didn’t have money in their accounts. The driver added that many passengers’ phones were also snatched from them at that point by the gang members, who were also ordering him to stop, slow down, or move at intervals.
However, as all these were going on, he said, at a point when he stopped, he summoned courage and gallantly rushed the gang member who was holding the gun, but he jumped out and escaped, while he then grabbed the other one and seized him up, now with the help of the male passengers.
This was corroborated by a video currently trending on social media, showing the apprehended suspect, the shuttle bus, the driver, some of the passengers who were robbed, as well as many phones recovered from the suspect.
In the video, the Commander of the Operation Udo Ga-Achị security operatives in Umunya Unit Command, was overheard interrogating the suspect, who also confessed to the crime.
The suspect, who introduced himself as Kenechukwu Vincent from Isiekenesi in Ideato South Local Government Area of Imo State, said he lives in Awka, the Anambra State capital. He also alluded to the fact that he was a member of ‘One Chance’ gang and robbery syndicate that specializes in dispossession innocent citizens of their belongings while on transit, including their phones, vehicles, money, and other valuables.
It was gathered that the suspect was later handed over to the security operatives for further investigations that could lead to the arrest of other members of the syndicate, and possible prosecution.
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