Man steals 18 bags of rice in Enugu

The police in Enugu State, say they have arrested a 45-year-old man for allegedly stealing 18 bags of rice in the state

The suspect, Joseph Nnamani, was said to have stolen the bags of rice after presenting himself as a philanthropist intending to distribute the rice for charity at a church on 14 February.

The police spokesperson in the state, Daniel Ndukwe, who disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, said the 18 bags of rice were valued at about N400,000.

Mr Ndukwe, a deputy superintendent of police, said Mr Nnamani, on 14 February being Valentine’s Day, went to an unnamed church in Ogui Area of the state from where he phoned the rice seller and requested the 18 bags of rice.

The police spokesperson said the unnamed rice seller, consequently, supplied the 18 bags of rice and “unsuspectingly followed” Mr Nnamani to a bank to receive his payment through a transfer.

He said in the course of carrying out the payment, the suspect “secretly left the bank and went back to the church and made away with the bags of rice to an unknown destination.”

“The suspect, however, could not run or hide for so long, as the police operatives, upon receiving the report, embarked on an intelligence-driven investigation, which led to his arrest on 20 February 2024, at Emene, Enugu,” Mr Ndukwe said.

The police spokesperson said eight of the 18 bags of rice were recovered from the suspect after he had re-packaged and sold the other bags at Oye Emene Market in the state.

He said the suspect will be arraigned as soon as investigations are concluded just as he asked other business owners who may have been defrauded by the suspect to report to the police.