A police officer working in the armoury department of Mobile Police Base 28, in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, has been arrested for allegedly stealing five AK-47.
Shedrack Igwe allegedly stole the rifles from the armoury with the help of others later arrested in his hometown of Ikwo local government area of Ebonyi State.
It was gathered that Igwe, a constable committed the act on March 2 before fleeing to Ebonyi State but was arrested on Thursday by a combined team of police officers from Abia and Ebonyi States arrested who moved him to Abia State Police Command for investigation.
Police sources said the missing five AK-47 rifles were recovered from him in his hometown.
Premium Times reports that Mr Igwe is suspected to have stolen many more rifles which he may have sold out.
The officer was said to have used the proceeds from the sales of the stolen rifles for a recent purchase of three new tricycles for commercial purposes. He gave the tricycles to his brother identified as Ifeanyi Igwe.
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An official in one of the security agencies in Ebonyi State said, “The development portrays lack of proper vetting and supervision on the side of the Nigerian police because the subject was just a constable and was not supposed to be manning a sensitive section like armoury in a security agency like the police.
“And the position was given to him without a proper examination of his character and supervision. Hence, the reason for the blames on the agency”.
The police spokesperson in Abia State, Geoffrey Ogbonna, declined to comment on the matter when PREMIUM TIMES contacted him, Friday.
“I am in a meeting, I just pulled out to answer this call,” he said, without confirming or denying the story.
The Commissioner of Police in Ebonyi State, Aliyu Garba, however, confirmed the report.
“This thing is for Abia State, it is good you ask Abia State Police Command, we only assisted them. So, you will get the whole story in Abia.
“Yes, it is a combination of action and necessary things. Get Abia, Abia will give you the necessary things, we only assisted,” he said.
