By Izunna Okafor, Awka
A 14-year-old boy has confessed that he had so far participated in the killing of six persons in different operations and attacks launched by his gang.
The 14-year-old suspect, identified as Gift Peace, made the confession while being interrogated by the operatives of the Delta State Police Command and local vigilantes who arrested him alongside two members of his gang members.
Apprehended at a Suya spot at Enerhen Junction in Warri South Local Government Area of the State, the ferocious-looking looking boy also confessed that he joined the deadly robbery gang at the age of 7 years, and had so far participated in many operations in the last 7 years, including the operation that led to the killing of a vigilante official at the 1st Marine Gate.
It was gathered that luck out of Gift when the leader of the gang, one Goodluck, who was first arrested by the security agents, led the officers to the popular Suya spot, where they also captured him.
This was corroborated by a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer of the Delta State Police Command, DSP Bright Edafe, who said that two other male gang members, Idigbe Osreis and Idigbe Perfect were also arrested by the security operatives.
According to the him, the other two gang members are also below 20 years of age. He said while Idigbe Osreis is 19 years, the other, Idigbe Perfect is 16 years, but have involved in many criminal operations and activities in the State, including the deadly ones.
Giving details of the arrest, DSP Edafe, in the statement, said, “On 29/9/2023, the DPO of ‘B’ Division Warri received a distress call about an armed robbery operation at Giwamu Junction Warri,” the PPRO stated.
“During the attack, a police undercover operative was at the scene and sighted one of the suspects. The operative later trailed him to a Suya spot at Enerhen Junction.
“The DPO of ‘B’ Warri, SP Bolarinwa Alabi, acting on the directive of the Delta State Commissioner of Police, CP Wale Abass psc, embarked on an intelligence-led operation alongside his team and arrested one Gift Peace, a 14-year-old boy, at the said Suya spot at Enerhen junction.
“The teenager confessed to being a member of an armed robbery gang that terrorizes Warri and its environs and claimed to have been involved since he was seven (7) years old.
“He provided the names of other gang members and subsequently led the detectives to their hideout
“The gang members, upon sighting the police, opened fire from their unregistered operational tricycle
“/“The police responded, and during the ensuing confrontation, one of the suspects, later identified as the gang’s leader, sustained serious gunshot injuries, while the others managed to escape
“He was taken to the hospital, where he was eventually confirmed dead by the doctor.”
According to Edafe, items recovered from them included the gang’s operational tricycle, a locally-made cut-to-size single-barrel gun with expended cartridges, and three live cartridges, among others.
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