Alleged Armed Robbery Attack on Clergyman: Police Grill Independent Oil Marketer_

An independent oil marketer, Chief Ernest Olu Ndukwe has been interrogated by the Crack Squad of the Ebonyi State Police Command, Abakaliki over his alleged complicity in a case of conspiracy and armed robbery against a Presbyterian clergyman.

A petition dated 18th day of November, 2024 entitled "A Case of Conspiracy and Armed Robbery, addressed to the Ebonyi State Commissioner of Police by one Rev Bright Igwe, moderator of Ohaozara Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria, made available to our reporter, alleged that on the 13th day of November, 2024, the clergyman was on a commercial cyclist popularly called Okada on his way to Xmmy Sports Hotel, Ishiagu in Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State along Amagu road, when the accused, driving in his Lexus Jeep, accosted him with a pump action rifle with three other boys.

The petitioner, Rev Igwe explained that the four men battered him severely and kicked him into the drainage and inflicted bruises all over his body.

According to the clergyman; Chief Ernest Olu Ndukwe who is the owner of Sunoc Oil and Gas Nigeria Limited on seeing passersby who rushed to his rescue, boasted that he will kill him with his pump action gun.

His words: "During their attack on me, I lost a sum of #200,000 only, my Infinix note 40 Pro Max valued at the sum of #400,000 was damaged. My clothes torn as I was stacked naked on the road.

"Olu, popularly known as Yaradua after pummeling me to a near unconscious state, forcefully took me to the Ivo Police Divisional headquarters, Ishiagu, in Ivo Local Government Area in Ebonyi State Police Command ,where I was further subjected by the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, to another round of inhuman torment and compelled to comply with the demands of the independent oil marketer, Yaradua or stand being detained at the local divisional police station till further notice".

The clergyman, as a result, was admitted at the Military Cantonment hospital, Nkwegu Mechanised cantonment for a night and later discharged the following morning.

A two paragraphed medical report from the Army cantonment, Nkwegu signed by one Dr. Akande, medical officer of the health record department in the cantonment indicated that Rev Igwe was presented with multiple contusion on the face and head with bruises on the body as a result of assault on the 14th day of November, 2024.

Meanwhile the assault commenced on the 13th day of November, 2024. He was evaluated as trauma secondary to assault in a known hypertensive.

However, Rev Igwe in the petition prayed the State Commissioner of Police to use his good offices to order proper investigation into the case and possibly arrest and prosecute the independent oil marketer along with his cohorts. Swiftly, the Crack Squad of the State Police Command swung into action and arrested the accused at the wee hours of last Thursday.

He was subsequently grilled and detained at the Crack Squad section of the state command for over 12 hours after he was made to write his statement following the intervention of his lawyers.

When contacted on phone, Chief Ernest Olu Ndukwe, who is also a major containerised motor transporter in Ebonyi, averred that the clergyman was indebted to him from an an unfinished business he had with him. He added that every effort he evolved to make Rev Igwe refund has failed, then he attacked him on his way to recover his money; the sum of #200,000 only. Chief Ndukwe showed evidence of a POS transaction allegedly transferred to him by the clergyman after his ordeal in his hand and that of his men.

The Ebonyi State Police command chief image maker, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, DSP Joseph Omaha, when contacted, said he was yet to be briefed on the details of the case.