The police in Enugu State, South-east Nigeria, have arrested three persons for allegedly stealing vehicle batteries.
The police spokesperson in the state, Daniel Ndukwe, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday night.
Mr Ndukwe, a deputy superintendent of police, identified the suspects as Ebuka Eze, 24, Nnamdi Chukwuemeka, 21, and Friday Ilo, 31 - all males.
The spokesperson said they were arrested at about 2 p.m. on 7 June by police operatives serving at Awkunanaw Police Division in the state.
"Their arrest followed the conduct of a covert operation by the operatives upon the receipt of complaints about the theft of several motor vehicle batteries at a construction site in Awkunanaw, Enugu," he said.
Not the first time
Mr Ndukwe said Messrs Eze and Chukwuemeka - two of the suspects - had been arrested for the same offence in the past.
The spokesperson said that in the latest incident, the third suspect - Mr Ilo - was arrested after the two other suspects confessed that they stole and sold the batteries to him (Ilo).
He said 15 vehicle batteries, including those of articulated vehicles and tricycles, were recovered from the suspects.
"The suspects will be arraigned and prosecuted once investigations are concluded," he stated.
Recovery of weapon and ammunition
Mr Ndukwe said police operatives serving in Emene Division, in a separate operation on Sunday evening, recovered a beretta pistol with 36 rounds of 9 mm calibre ammunition in a bush in the Emene Area.
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"The exhibits are suspected to have been abandoned by criminal elements on the hot trail of the police operatives for allegations of armed robberies," he said.
Prohibited in Nigeria
Stealing is outlawed in section 390 of the Nigeria Criminal Code Act.
Offenders, on conviction, face three years imprisonment or more, including payment of a fine, depending on the item stolen and its value, according to the law.
Several persons have been convicted for stealing across the country.
An Iyaganku Magistrate Court in Ibadan, in June, sentenced a 23-year-old man, Isaac Dumabara, to one-month imprisonment for stealing one pot of stew and meat worth N40,000 from a restaurant.
A former deputy chief registrar of the Oyo State High Court, Mutiat Adio, was, in March 2020, sentenced to five years imprisonment after she was found guilty of stealing.
