Crime

The Life And Times Of Port Harcourt Notorious Armed Robber Kingpin-Charles Emesiobi Nwaoepi

…HOW HE KILLED LT. COL AND CAPTAIN OF NIGERIAN ARMY AND CARTED AWAY OVER N100m FROM TWO BANKS IN PORT HARCOURT

The living in the fast lane lifestyle of most Nigerian youths found a place in 28 years old Charles Emesiobi Nwaoepi a native of Okporowo community in Ogbakiri town in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers state. Charles Nwaoepi was trained as a Fabricator and Welder with a paid job at Chibros Fabrication Nigeria Limited at Mile 3 area of Port Harcourt in Rivers state. For him to operate successfully he was said to have recruited others including one Goodnews Nweje a native of Ugbuator town from the same Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers who were into Welding and Fabrication job plus another Goodluck Wogbo from Elebrada community in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers state. Again they have a well formidable ally in named Prince George a native of Rumukunde community in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers state that usually provided weapons to the armed Robbery gang.

Severally they were said to have delight in killing military personnel and other security agents. Charles Nwaoepi it was confirmed from evidence before Presiding Judge of Federal High Court Port Harcourt, Justice Ibrahim Watila that the foursome and others who were at large robbed banks carting away millions of Naira especially Diamond Bank at Trans Amadi Industrial Lay Out Port Harcourt where the sum of One Hundred Million naira N100m was stolen and two Army officers Lance Corporal Yohanna Kamuji and Corporal Bello Lazarus attached to 20 Battalion of Nigeria Army Bori Camp Harcourt were also killed by this gang.

The use of Sandfield at Emohua Local Government Area in arms trafficking by the gang remains a worrisome issue before security operatives in Rivers state. But with the vigilant Federal –Special Anti-Robbery Squad –F-SARS led by Assistant Commissioner of Police-ACP Akin Fakorede has maintained a clean slate in reducing crime rate in Rivers state. How Charles Nwaoepi and gangs were arrested on 19^th of November 2015 is a case in mind how surveillance activities by security personnel could lead to reduction of criminal activities in the society.

For the smart armed robbers and murderers it was a failed operation on 19^th November, 2015 as they use AK 47 rifle No. 2770, AK 49 No.44159, AK2 rifle No. 046484, several magazines, forty Four (44) Rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition, Fifty-five rounds –(55) of 5.56mm live ammunition.

Charles Emesiobi Nwaoepi

Acting on tip-off around 15-hours about the activities of the armed robber gang in Eliparanwo area of Obio/Akpo Local Government Area, officers of Federal Special Anti-robbery Squad put up a “Stop and Search” operation around Ada-George Road intercepted a Mazda saloon car conveying Charles Nwaoepi and his gang who intended to take a different route in order to evade being arrested. And when the convicted armed robbers were searched it was discovered that the leader of the gang Charles Nwaoepi revealed that he had with him live ammunition’s and charms and amulets. Further search conducted at his rented room along Mgbuoba NTA road also led to the discovery of more ammunition, face mask (face cover) and charms with. For a proof of evidence that the gang were the ones who robbed Diamond Bank Trans Amadi on 14^th October 2015, officers at the bank upon parading the convicts identified them as those who committed the robbery incident. And for the case of murder it was revealed that officers from the Bori Camp of Nigerian Army identified the weapons as that belonging to the killed officers including other weapons which Nigerian Police officers also identified as belonging to Police Force which were recovered from Charles Nwaoepi and gangs.

Reports from the investigative F-SARS officials concluded that the 4-armed robbers were notorious criminals who had terrorized Port Harcourt and environs. Goodluck Wogbo a 27 year old man before his arrest had already served 5 years jail term for armed robbery from 2010 to 0ctober 2015 when he took part in a fresh armed robbery incident. Another coincidence is the fact that all the convicted armed robbers come from Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers state.

Surprised is the connection of the armed Robbers with one Prince George alleged to be Chief Security Officer of Emohua Local Government Council and the role played by the Rivers state Ministry of Justice Directorate of Public Prosecution-DPP that averred in its legal opinion over the case vide MJ/DPP/236/VOL.XLXXIV/05 addressed to the Commissioner of Police Rivers state Command stated that “They were victims of circumstances and mere Suspects. It is a trite law that, suspicion no matter how strong cannot take the place of legal proof without concrete evidence to substantiate same. There is no iota or scintilla of evidence linking the Suspects, especially the 1^st and 2^nd Suspect to the alleged offences they are charged.”

And in concluding DPP I.Otorubio Esq. said “Therefore and in view of the above, the charge against the Suspects namely, Charles Emesiobi Nwaoepi, Goodnews Kejeh should be dropped and they be released from prison custody forthwith. In the same vain the charge against Goodluck Wogbo the suspect not arraigned or charged to court should be dropped and he too be released from Police custody”.

In a twist after due legal trial for 3-years in the month of June 2018 the armed robbers were convicted of the offences they were charged for and jailed for 7-years for the offence of Conspiracy and 10 years for the offence of unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition. Even though the crime rate in Port Harcourt has reduced but those members of their gang who have been at large must have returned to the reign of terror in Port Harcourt with the renewed killings of Police officers in Port Harcourt and its environs.

Assistant Commissioner of Police-ACP Akin Fakorede

Emohua Local Governement Area in Rivers state from security reports is prone to violence sometimes community induced from Rumuekpe, to Ogbakiri, Ibaa and other satellite towns including Elebrada are having cultists’ activities and armed banditry one of which is the armed robber gang that engaged into proliferation of illegal small firearms, to violent behavioural display resulting to the sacking of a whole community and making business and subsistence farming activities stalled over insecurity. Being a gateway into and out of Rivers state main capital Port Harcourt there has been kidnapping activities associated with criminal elements in Emohua Local Government Area with unverified reports from Police stations across Port Harcourt indicating that Ogbakiri tops the lists of most violent towns in Rivers. A visit to Nkpor in Rumuorlumeni town in close proximity to Ogbakiri hosts most of the wanted criminals from Ogbakiri. On Wednesday 1^st, August, 2018 there was incident of an Ogbakiri youth killed inside Nkpor community with the deputy leader of Rumuorlumeni Community Police and son of Chief Casca being murdered by 11pm on the fateful day separately.