Soldiers nab fleeing car-snatching robber in Warri

Soldiers manning the army roadblock beside Sacred Heart Catholic Church near Okere junction in Warri-Sapele road, Warrior, on Thursday, evening arrested a fleeing robbery suspect.

The incident caused pandemonium among residents and commuters while office and shop owners quickly locked up and fled the area.

Luck ran out of the suspect, whose name could not be ascertained as of press time, when he, with two others, snatched a red jeep Highlander from where it was parked in from of CKC office at Ginuwa junction in Warri.

Sources said the gang invaded the office on a tip-off that a customer had brought a huge sum of money for business transaction.

But when the gang stormed the office, some bank officials were said to have come to transfer the money to the bank for keeps.

The robbers, who were acting on a wrong information, went for the red Highlander jeep they thought the money was kept and made away with it.

Luck, however, ran out of the robbery gang when people around the Ginuwa junction raised the alarm and a commercial bus gave them a hot chase towards Main Market.

The alarm raised by the pursuing commercial bus drivers and the occupants attracted the attention of soldiers manning the road block at Main Market who swiftly went into action and arrested one of them.

Two of the robbers were said to have bolted away before they approached the army road block, having good knowledge of the area.

The suspect arrested was said to have been caught with two arms and a bag stuffed with money.

When Nigerian Tribune got to the scene of the arrest, a Hilux van was being used to convey the suspect to carry out further investigations.

But within few minutes, the suspect was brought back to the army check-point and was further interrogated.

The suspect’s hands were tied behind him while scores of passersby were seen discussing in hush tunes, expressing joy at how the table turned against one of the robbers and how their operation failed.

Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Celestina Kali, could not be reached for comments as of the time of filling this report.