Police gun down notorious armed robber "Grave"

The Police in Abia state on Tuesday, gunned down a notorious armed robber identified as Sampson Nwokocha, aka ‘Grave’ who has been terrorizing residents of Umuahia and its environs.

Recall that few weeks a group of armed robbers led by “Grave and his accomplice known as “Tomato” were caught on CCTV camera attacking a filling stattion located at Bank road Umuahia.

Grave and four members of his gang arrived the filling station at about 9:30am with a Honda Accord vehicle pretending to be customers. After their vehicle tank was filled they brought out guns and led the fuel attendant to the vault and carted away undisclosed sums of money along with other valuables including mobile phones.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Ene Okon, who made this known to newsmen in Umuahia, said Grave was shot dead after a gun battle with his men following a tip-off.

He said that Nwokocha, who was recently released from prison, had been on the watch list of the command following his alleged numerous criminal activities.

“It would be recalled that on Nov. 6 and 10, 2019, Nwokocha and his gang invaded a hotel and robbed staff and guests. During the operation, one policeman on duty was shot dead and his rifle carted away,” said Okon.

“Also on November 10, 2019, Nwokocha and his gang robbed attendants and customers of a filling station on Bank Road, Umuahia. On different occasions, he led a gang that snatched vehicles from their owners within and outside of the capital city at gunpoint. He also robbed other locations and planned to attack the Correctional Service Centre (Prison) in Umuahia to liberate his mother and other inmates.”