Operatives of the Orji Divisional Headquarters, in collaboration with the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Imo State Police Command, have arrested two suspected armed robbers in Owerri, the Imo State capital.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the command, Henry Okoye, disclosed the development in a statement issued on Wednesday night.
According to him, the suspects allegedly accosted a man who was washing his car at a car wash located in the Mangrove area of Aladinma, Owerri. The suspects reportedly brandished a firearm and robbed the victim of his gold chain before fleeing the scene on a motorcycle.
Okoye explained that the victim immediately pursued the suspects with his vehicle and knocked them down, attracting a mob that descended on them before the police were alerted.
“Operatives of the Imo State Police Command on, March 11, 2026, arrested two suspected armed robbers and recovered a pistol and seven rounds of live ammunition following a swift response to a distress call in Owerri,” the statement said.
The police spokesperson identified the suspects as Solomon Ejekwe, 29, from Ubaha Orodo in Mbaitoli Local Government Area, and Emeka Charles, 35, from Umuopara Ngugo in Ikeduru Local Government Area.
He said the suspects were apprehended by operatives of the Orji Divisional Headquarters in collaboration with the command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit after members of the public reported the robbery incident in Aladinma.
Preliminary investigations, he said, revealed that the suspects approached the victim while he was washing his car, robbed him at gunpoint, and fled on a motorcycle.
“The victim, however, pursued the suspects in his vehicle and succeeded in knocking them down. They were subsequently overpowered and beaten by an angry mob before police operatives arrived at the scene and took them into custody,” Okoye added.
He said a pistol and seven rounds of live ammunition were recovered from the suspects.
Okoye further disclosed that the suspects were taken to the police medical centre for treatment and would be arraigned in court upon the completion of investigations.
“The suspects have been rushed to the police medical centre for medical attention and will be arraigned in court with appropriate criminal charges at the earliest possible time,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Audu Garba Bosso, commended the operatives for their swift response and praised members of the public for cooperating with the police during the incident.
He, however, cautioned residents against engaging in mob action and jungle justice, urging them to always allow the law to take its course.
