Imo Police Command Cracks Down on Kidnappers, Terrorists; Rescues Victims, Recovers Arms

OWERRI, IMO STATE – The Imo State Police Command has announced a major breakthrough in its relentless fight against violent crime, with significant arrests, rescue operations, and weapons recovery over the past six months. Under the strategic leadership of CP Aboki Danjuma, the command has intensified its efforts to dismantle criminal syndicates operating across the state.

Massive Arrests and Rescues
Police operatives, primarily from the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, in collaboration with other divisions, have apprehended 2,785 suspects for various serious offenses. These include kidnapping, terrorism, murder, armed robbery, cultism, and child trafficking. The comprehensive operations also led to the rescue of 58 kidnapped victims and 42 stolen children, many of whom have been successfully reunited with their families.

Cache of Weapons Recovered
Investigations into these cases have yielded a substantial recovery of arms, ammunition, and explosives. The recovered arsenal includes:

1.Two General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG)

2.Fourteen AK-47 rifles

3.Twenty pump-action guns

4.Four fabricated rocket launchers

5.Seven gas-cylinder explosives

6.Locally made hand grenades

7.Assorted rounds of live ammunition and cartridges

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8.Biafran flags

Various criminal charms
IPOB/ESN Syndicates Dismantled
Among the key arrests are Amechi Onyebuchi (38), Ozioma Ihedoro (39), Cyprian Ikpegbunam (50), and Uchenna Opara (30), identified as notorious members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN). These individuals are implicated in numerous attacks on security formations and public infrastructure in Njaba LGA.

Acting on credible intelligence, the Anti-Kidnapping Unit and other tactical teams raided an IPOB/ESN camp in Njaba, leading to their arrest and the recovery of high-grade weapons and explosives. During interrogation, the suspects confessed to the kidnapping and murder of Emmanuel Oguzie, allegedly on the orders of a wanted ESN commander known as “Asari.”

Kidnap Gangs Apprehended
In a separate incident, two suspected kidnappers, Uche Nwachukwu (24) and Chinonso Ozirim (32), were arrested for the abduction of Anayo Iwuoha. Iwuoha was kidnapped from his compound in Akabo on June 20, 2025, and held at Chinonso Ozirim’s residence. The syndicate extorted a ₦2.2 million ransom before a joint operation by the Anti-Kidnapping Unit and local vigilantes led to the victim’s rescue and the suspects’ arrest. A manhunt is currently underway for their accomplices who are still at large.

Notorious Cultist Nabbed
Furthermore, Wisdom Chinazaekpere Ogbonna (36) of Orlu LGA, a notorious member of the Vikings Confraternity, has been apprehended. Ogbonna had been on the run for two years following the brutal murder of a young man known as “Pikin,” who was mistakenly identified as a rival cultist and butchered by Ogbonna and three other gang members. He was initially arrested by operatives of the Orlu Division for burglary and stealing but was later identified as one of the cultists involved in the heinous murder upon further profiling and transfer to the Anti-Kidnapping Unit.

All apprehended suspects are expected to be arraigned in court upon the completion of ongoing investigations.

Public Support Lauded
The Imo State Police Command has expressed its gratitude to the public for their continued support and for providing credible information, which has been instrumental in the success of recent operations. The command reaffirms its commitment to protecting lives and property and urges residents to remain vigilant. The public is encouraged to report any suspicious activity via the dedicated hotlines: 0813 478 3532 or 0815 802 4755.

“Together, we will continue to make Imo State safer and more secure for all,” stated DSP Okoye Henry, ANIPR, Police Public Relations Officer for the Imo State Police Command.