The Police in Ebonyi on Monday said it recovered a car that was snatched from its owner at gunpoint within three hours of the incident.
Mrs Loveth Odah, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the command, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abakaliki.
Odah also said three armed robbers were arrested.
She said the men of the command were on patrol when the car was said to have been snatched and that they immediately ignited their investigative prowess, which eventually led to the recovery of the car.
According to her, the car in question was later handed over to the owner.
“The police trailed the armed robbers who used the car for robbery operation but had to abandon it immediately the police closed in on them,” Odah said.
She, however, debunked social media reports alleging high incidences of car theft in Abakaliki.
Odah said the police were yet to receive any reports of stolen vehicles in Abakaliki or its environs in recent times.
“For me, I’m not aware of any incessant car theft in Abakaliki lately.
“But, the only thing that I know is that the other day our men were on operation when a car was reportedly snatched at a gunpoint and within two to three hours the vehicle was recovered and brought back to the owner.
“If there are cases of car theft in any part of the town, the victims did not report such incidents, hence we are not aware of such,” Odah said.
She appealed to residents of the state to report incidents of criminal activities to the police for prompt action.
The PPRO who attributed the present security challenges in the state to the aftermath of #EndSARS protest of 2020, expressed hope that Ebonyi would soon return back to its peaceful nature. (NAN)
