A notorious cultist and armed robber Christopher Izzy, also known as Machanla, has been apprehended by men of the Bayelsa State Vigilante Security Service for his alleged involvement in armed robbery, cultism and possession of fake firearms.
The 26-year-old suspect said to be a native of Edo State, is also a well-known member of Icelanders cult group and has been on the wanted list of the Bayelsa State Vigilante Service.
The Chairman of the Vigilante Service, Hon. Doubiye Alagba, while parading the suspect before newsmen, said Christopher and his deadly gang of cultists specialise in attacking supermarkets and POS stores.
He said they also target pedestrians and passengers of tricycle popularly known as Keke Napep in the state capital, Yenagoa.
Alagba said during a body search of the suspect, his men recovered a welded fake gun, a GSM phone, and some substances suspected to be hard drugs.
He added that the arrest of Machanla was a significant breakthrough in the fight against crime in the state.
The Vigilante boss stated that his arrest was made possible after he was identified by one of his robbery victims along the Biogbolo axis of the state capital.
Another victim, Stanley Ogodo, a supermarket owner along Ebis Biogbolo area, also reported that the suspect and his team allegedly attacked his business premises nine times.
Ogodo said: "Three weeks ego, same Izzy and his gang came to my Supermarket and held up customers at gun point and made away with consumables, Customers' items and other valuables.
“He has done it severally. He will threaten me, harass me with gun, beat me, open my drawer pack all the money, provisions, and drinks."
The Chairman of Zamfara State indigenes in the state, Sekiru Ahmed, also narrated how the suspect in connivance with his gang attacked and dispossessed tricycle drivers of their belongings.
According to Sekiru, “Christopher will want to force our brothers who are tricycle drivers to carry him to go and steal, when they refuses, he beats them, humiliate them and also cart away their belongings.
“Early this year, he almost killed one of our brothers for refusing to allow him to use his commercial motorcycle as get away transport for his nefarious operations. He uses force on them, and when they refuse, he will threaten to kill them."
“We arrested him recently, took him to the police, his father came and bailed him through court. Yet he has refused to allow our brothers who are tricycle drivers to rest. We are still looking for him for several crimes that he has committed against our members”.
Alagba, urged residents of the state not to relent in giving out informations that will lead to the arrest criminals terrorizing the state, noting that the security agencies will always need the support of the citizens to fight crime and criminality in the state.
He disclosed that the suspect has been handed over to the Special Anti-crime team known as Operation Doo-Akpo of the Nigerian Police Force in the state for further investigation.
