Also discovered were 50 bags of Indian hemp, four locally made pistols, hundreds of giant cutlasses, crowbars, swords, curved knives and other dangerous weapons.
One of the suspects, Mr Yunus Isah, admitted he was a robber. “I was not robbing when they arrested me but relaxing in a restaurant,” he said.
Another suspect, Alex Ikwe, narrated in tears that one Honourable Samson Oku from Enugu State invited him to witness his inauguration as his campaign manager.
“I was lodged in a hotel when the police raided the place, arrested me and treated me as a common criminal,” he added.
Sunday Onovo, a suspect, described himself as a motor parts dealer, who came to Abuja to buy parts and was invited by a friend to stay in his house.
“On my way to his place, I was arrested and beaten up,” Onovo said.
Mrs. Blessing Okoro, another suspect, said she was inside her shop at Bakassi village when she saw people running because policemen were raiding the village and they arrested her.
Lami Yerima, a beer parlour owner in the village, said policemen entered his shop, brutalised as well as arrested him for no offence.
Another woman, Sarah Salah, who claimed to be a moi -moi seller, said she was washing plates when suddenly a group of policemen arrested her.
“When I asked what I did wrong, I was beaten up and brought to the SARS office,” she said.
Responding, Assistant Commissioner FCT Operations, Wilson Inalegwu, said all the suspects who claim to be innocent are not.
“Bakassi is a shanty and it is not supposed to exist. They have dangerous weapons planted in that place and plot their robbery operations from there,” Inalegwu stated.
He said the police have contacted Abuja Environmental Protection Board about shanties in the place, adding that dangerous weapons and 50 bags of Indian hemp were recovered during the police raid.
According to him, the police will continue to raid hotspots, such as shanties, uncompleted buildings where criminals stay and plan their robbery.
Also reacting, Leader of SARS boss, Chief Superintendent Ben Igwe, said the police are carrying out comprehensive operations to stop armed robbery within the territory.
He said 702 persons were arrested during the operation, alongside some dangerous weapons, adding that they will be thoroughly screened and the innocent released.
The SARS boss said that those found involved in crime will be charged to court.
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Police raid suspected robbers’ village