The Anambra State Police Command has alerted residents to an emerging pattern of robbery and other criminal activities involving the use of motorcycles.
The warning followed recent incidents, including the arrest of a motorcycle rider allegedly found with a pistol during a stop-and-search operation in Nnewi.
The command also said it was investigating a separate incident in Aguleri, where a motorcycle rider was reportedly attacked and dispossessed of his motorcycle and personal belongings before he was killed.
The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed this in a statement on Friday on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, CP Nnanna Oji Ama.
According to the command, preliminary observations indicate that criminals may be exploiting motorcycles to facilitate their movements and target unsuspecting members of the public, including fellow motorcycle users.
The police also expressed concern that some motorcycle owners fail to properly register their motorcycles or keep adequate ownership documents, making it difficult to trace and recover stolen motorcycles or determine their subsequent use in criminal activities.
The CP consequently directed Area Commanders and Divisional Police Officers across the state to intensify sensitisation and community engagement with motorcycle riders’ associations, Presidents-General of communities, vigilante groups and other stakeholders.
The engagements, the command said, would strengthen community intelligence, improve motorcycle identification and documentation, and enhance information sharing to prevent criminals from exploiting motorcycles for robbery and other offences.
The police urged motorcycle owners and riders to ensure that their motorcycles were properly registered and that relevant ownership documents were readily available.
Residents were also advised to report suspicious motorcycle movements, persons or activities to the nearest police station or through established emergency communication channels.
The command further urged motorcycle riders’ associations, community leaders and other stakeholders to provide credible and timely information that could assist the police in identifying and disrupting criminal activities.
The police warned residents against confronting suspected criminals, stressing that security remained a shared responsibility.
