Abia Police Smash Criminal Rings: 10 Children Rescued, 109 Held

​UMUAHIA — In a sweeping crackdown on rising criminality, the Abia State Police Command has arrested key suspects linked to the October 17 assault on the Uratta Divisional Police Headquarters. The high-stakes security offensive also yielded the safe rescue of 10 stolen children, the recovery of 15 illegal firearms, and the interception of 30 stolen vehicles.

​Presenting the command’s operational scorecard for the period spanning September 11 to November 6, 2026, the Commissioner of Police, CP Wilfred Afolabi, disclosed that a total of 109 suspects—comprising 89 males and 20 females—were apprehended in connection with 211 distinct criminal cases across the state.

​Breakthrough on Uratta Police Station Attack

​Addressing newsmen, CP Afolabi stated that intensive, intelligence-led investigations into the brazen October 17 attack on the Uratta Divisional Police Headquarters have started yielding concrete results. Authorities have successfully apprehended core members of the strike team, with one prime suspect reportedly confessing to leading the assault. Manhunts are currently underway to track down remaining accomplices and unravel the full criminal network behind the breach.

​Major Wins Against Child Trafficking

​In line with the command’s zero-tolerance stance on human trafficking, police operatives successfully rescued 10 children during the review period, safely reuniting them with their grieving families.

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​Highlighting a specific breakthrough, CP Afolabi noted that two suspects—including a 38-year-old—were arrested on October 11 in connection with the abduction of two minors: seven-year-old Chiamaka Chikeze and nine-month-old Goodluck Chikeze. The children were swiftly recovered, restored to their parents, and the suspects subsequently charged to court.

​Dismantling Kidnapping and Vehicle Theft Rings

• ​Anti-Kidnapping Operations: Acting on a tip-off, operatives from the Anti-Kidnapping Unit raided a criminal hideout in Ubakala, Umuahia South Local Government Area, on October 25. A suspect named Osita was arrested, with two locally fabricated guns, 16 live cartridges, and four expended cartridges recovered. An alleged ammunition supplier was subsequently apprehended, and both have been arraigned.
• ​Vehicle Theft Syndicate: A dedicated five-man syndicate specializing in grand car thefts was dismantled, leading to the recovery of a Toyota Corolla (Registration Number: ROU 9338J). The suspects have been charged to court.
• ​Cultism and Campus Extortion: On October 31, two suspected cultists, aged 27 and 25, were nabbed for terrorizing students of Abia State University (ABSU), Uturu, dispossessing them of mobile phones and valuables at gunpoint. A locally fabricated firearm was retrieved during the arrest. One suspect confessed membership in the Black Axe Confraternity, as police intensify operations to sweep up remaining members of the gang.

​Collaborative Security Approach

​CP Afolabi credited the success of these operations to proactive policing, robust intelligence gathering, and active collaboration with sister security agencies and local communities.

​Emphasizing that security remains a shared obligation, the police chief urged Abia residents to maintain vigilance and provide timely, credible information to law enforcement authorities.

​”The fight against crime remains a collective responsibility. Your partnership remains invaluable to our collective efforts towards sustaining peace and security in the state. Together we keep Abia safe,” Afolabi stated.