The Enugu Command of the Nigeria Police Force says it has arrested a 23-year-old native doctor, Odoh Emmanuel, who allegedly shot and killed one Onunze Benedict while testing a gunshot amulet.

The suspect, who hails from Umuaram village in Ikem community in the Isi-Uzo Local Government Area of the state committed the offence on November 16, 2022, according a statement on Tuesday by the Command's spokesman, Daniel Ndukwe.

According to the statement, the suspect was arrested around 11 pm on November 16 by police personnel attached to Isi-Uzo Police Division.

Ndukwe said the suspect confessed to have used a locally-fabricated single-barrelled gun to shoot and kill the said victim in his shrine at Umuaram, while testing the charm meant to protect him against gunshots.

"The gun has been recovered, while further investigation is ongoing at the Homicide Section of the State CID Enugu," the police spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, Ndukwe in the statement revealed that the command has arrested another 16 suspects for conspiracy, armed robbery, car-jacking, abduction and unlawful possession of firearms.

He said that the arrests led to the recovery of two firearms, one live cartridge, three mock guns, a Sino truck loaded with seven hundred and eighty-nine (789) bags of cement, mobile phones, ATM cards, pieces of wrappers, clothes and other incriminating exhibits.

The statement partly read: "Acting on credible information, Police Operatives serving in 9th Mile Police Division of the Command, on 24/11/2022 at about 3.20pm, arrested six (6) male suspects in a building along Nsukka/Makurdi Highway, 9th Mile in Udi LGA, and recovered in their unlawful possession, one (1) locally-fabricated double-barreled pistol with one (1) live cartridge.

"They include: Anigbo Stephen aged 23, Iyere Promise aged 28, Charles Onoh aged 24, Obinna Joseph aged 19, Charles Obilor aged 25 and Ede Chibuike aged 24.

"Ongoing investigation into the case at the Anti-Robbery Section of the State CID Enugu, has revealed that the sextet, three (3) of whom are linked to a similar case earlier reported, were perfecting plans to commit felonious crimes before they were apprehended.

"In another development, the following male suspects: Everest Ayokalam aged 48, Anayo Akakem aged 33, Iwuanyanwu Kelechi aged 32, Uchenna Iwuoha (a.k.a “Uchewinde”) aged 47 and Gospel Chimankpa Nnorom aged 32, all of Imo State, involved in the case of conspiracy, armed robbery, abduction and attempted murder, have been arraigned in court and remanded accordingly.

"They were arrested at Ikeduru in Imo State on 12/11/2022, through the concerted efforts of Police Operatives serving in Isi-Uzo Police Division of the Command and their counterpart in Imo State Command, after acting on credible information/intelligence.

"The suspects and others at large, armed with machetes and other weapons, had on 09/11/2022 at about 3 am, abducted at Umuhu in Isi-Uzo LGA (a border community between Enugu and Ebonyi States), the driver and conductor of a Sino Truck, said to be loaded with 900 bags of cement and en route to Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.

"They took them to the forest, beat up and tied them to a tree, and thereafter made away with the truck and bags of cement therein. The suspects confessed to the crime, while the truck was recovered alongside 789 bags of the cement from the warehouse of Everest Ayokalam (the receiver of the robbed exhibits).

"Also, on 05/11/2022 at about 4 am, a combined team of Police Operatives drawn from Awkunanaw Police Division, Operation Restore Peace and Safer Highway Patrol, with assistance from Neigbourhood Watch Group, arrested one Kasie Ani (male) aged 25, Tochukwu Igwe (male) aged 25, Felix Maduakonam (male) aged 24, Chidera Okoye (male) aged 21 and Jennifer Nwafor (female) aged 17.

"Their arrest is sequel to the Team’s swift response to a distress call alleging that the suspects blocked the road at the Garriki axis of Enugu/Port-Harcourt Expressway and were robbing travelers. The four (4) male suspects were consequently arrested and the victims rescued, while the female suspect was arrested thereafter, for harbouring one of the male suspects.

"Exhibits recovered from the suspects includes: three (3) mock guns that they used in the criminal operation, twenty-one (21) pieces of wrappers, clothes, phones, ATM cards and other valuables belonging to their victims.

"The arraignment of all the suspects yet-to-be arraigned shall be done once investigations are concluded.”

Also according to the statement, the state police commissioner, Ahmed Ammani, urged the personnel to remain focused on the fight to flush unrepentant criminal elements out of the state, while soliciting the continued support and cooperation of its residents.