Confusion, Tension as Police Invade Onitsha Main Market, Arrests Ugwuoba Man For Arm dealing

Onitsha Main Market was in confusion yesterday when a detachment of the Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) invaded the market in pursuit of an alleged notorious armed dealer one Alphonsus Ngwu.

Ngwu’s men resisted his arrest but he was shot while trying to escape in a rowdy session after several attempts to arrest him.

The gun shots scattered traders giving way for the arrest of Ngwu and consequent parading by the police Commissioner, Gwary Usman at the Headquarters of SARS at Awkuzu.

The SARS team at the end recovered from his shop at Onitsha main market over 8,000 rounds of life ammunition.

Other arms and ammunition recovered from the suspect included: 6 pump action guns, one revolver pistol, 6,390 life cartridges, 62 rounds of 5.65mm life ammunition, 74 rounds of 9mm life ammunition, 100 rounds of air rifle ammunition,  12 magazine for AK 47 rifle, 2 maga for k-2 rifle, some dismantled parts of AK-47, one GPMG ammunition and one smoke cartridge.

Commissioner of Police Gwary Usman represented by DSP Emeka Chukwuemeka, the Police Image maker while parading Ngwu, describing him as special armed dealer and smuggler terrorizing the country with his goods. He commended SARS team led by CSP James Nwafor for sniffing out criminals and those supplying them ammunition and arms.

The suspect Alphonsus Ngwu, from Ugwuoba in Oji River Local Government Area of Enugu State admitted to newsmen that the arms and ammunition were recovered from his shop and promised to lead the OC SARS, James Nwafor to his warehouse but insisted that he has nothing to do with armed robbers or kidnappers as he supplies his goods to communities.

 He confirmed to have been in the business for the past 15 years and that he gets his arms and ammunition from abroad with one Alhaji from the North as his contact man for the suppliers and described himself as legitimate trader. He admitted he used to have license to operate as an armed dealer but no longer has the license.  

The police alleged he was behind all communal clashes all over the country as he supplies arms and ammunition to those warring communities wondering how he knows the difference between warring communities and armed robbers and kidnappers who buy the gun from him.

Police alleged that Ngwu supplies arms and ammunition to other arms and ammunition dealers in the country even those who sale to the armed robbers as he is the major player in the industry. Police informed that the Alhaji Ngwu mentioned is in police net now but never mentioned where.

A glance at his record book for his sales showed that his goods although without name sales for 2 pieces at N620, 000 which police interpreted as 2 AK47 rifles at N310,000 each making it N620,000. There are some goods worth over N1,200, 000 and even supply of N70 Million.

And with the addresses allegedly in the book log , the police concluded he sponsored the Ezza/Ezilo war among others across the nation by supplying them arms and ammunition to fight on.