The Anambra State Police Command has arrested four suspected kidnappers in separate operations across the state, thwarted a fresh abduction attempt and recovered a locally fabricated pistol, live ammunition and other incriminating items linked to the suspects.
The Command said the arrests followed its ongoing weekly security review and sustained offensive against violent crimes, particularly kidnapping and armed robbery.
In a statement issued on Sunday, July 19, 2026, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said the operations underscored the Command’s determination to dismantle criminal networks and improve public safety across Anambra.
According to the statement, operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Awkuzu, on July 15 arrested a 32-year-old suspect, Okoye Ibegbunam Chukwuebuka John Bosco, popularly known as “Bone,” in connection with the kidnapping of a victim in Okpanam, Asaba, Delta State.
The victim, police said, was abducted, robbed and forced to pay ransom before regaining freedom.
During a search of the suspect, operatives recovered a locally fabricated pistol, two live rounds of ammunition, an axe and an Itel Android phone bearing the victim’s photograph as its screensaver.
Police said the suspect allegedly confessed to participating in the crime, while efforts were ongoing to arrest other fleeing members of the gang.
In another breakthrough, operatives of the RRS, working alongside detectives from the Ogbaru Divisional Police Headquarters, foiled a suspected kidnap attempt in Ogbaru on July 16 and arrested three members of an alleged kidnapping syndicate.
The suspects were identified as Chekwube Chukwu (32), Amarachukwu Nwobosi (34) and Sopuluchukwu Ifeakor (30).
The operatives also recovered a black Toyota Camry with tinted windows and Lagos registration number LND 789HR, believed to have been used by the gang during its operations.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects were intercepted while allegedly attempting to abduct a female Point of Sale (POS) operator at Iyiowa, Odekpe, Atani.
The police said the victim’s cries for help attracted residents, whose distress call prompted a swift response from officers, leading to the rescue of the woman and the arrest of the suspects.
Further investigations linked the trio to the earlier kidnapping of another female POS operator at Dominion Park, Head Bridge, Onitsha, on June 3, 2026.
According to the Command, the victim was abducted, dispossessed of two POS machines and Android phones, and forced to pay a ransom of ₦3.5 million before she was released.
Police disclosed that the suspects had allegedly confessed to their involvement in the crimes and were assisting investigators with information to identify and apprehend criminal receivers and other members of the syndicate.
“These operations underscore the Command’s commitment to dismantling criminal networks and improving public safety.
“The Command further urges members of the public to remain vigilant and continue to support the Police with timely and credible information to enhance security across the State,” Ikenga stated.
