The Anambra State Police Command has rescued three kidnap victims along the Owerri-Onitsha Road and arrested two suspected cultists and armed robbers at Abakaliki Street in Awka, the State capital.
According to a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, Tochukwu Ikenga, the Joint Security Team, in a coordinated operation on March 22, 2025, at about 7:20 a.m., rescued three kidnapped victims along the Onitsha-Owerri Expressway in Ozubulu.
“The victims were rushed to the hospital by the Joint Security Team after sustaining various degrees of injuries inflicted by the criminals.
“They are currently responding to treatment and will be debriefed by the police subsequently,” the statement read.
Ikenga further disclosed that security checkpoints across the state were alerted immediately after the victims were reported abducted at Nkwelle-Ezunaka in Oyi Local Government Area, which led to their successful rescue.
The Commissioner of Police, Ikioye Orutugu while commending the operatives for their efforts, charged them to intensify efforts to apprehend the perpetrators.
He assured the people of Anambra State of the Command’s commitment to protecting lives and property while sustaining operations to deny criminals the space to operate.
Providing further updates, Ikenga announced that, following security measures put in place by the Commissioner of Police to curb robbery incidents along Club Road in Awka, popularly known as Abakaliki Street, operatives of the Special Anti-Cult Unit, Enugwu-Ukwu, arrested two suspects in the early hours of March 18, 2025.
The suspects, identified as 22-year-old Chibuike Ozoekwem and 19-year-old Favour Patrick, were apprehended in an uncompleted building on Onwurah Street, Awka.
“During the operation, the police recovered one pump-action gun, sixteen expended cartridges, a battle axe, and two suspected stolen phones,” the statement added.
One of the victims identified one of the recovered phones, stating that she was robbed at gunpoint on March 13, 2025, by four armed men along Club Road.
The police have expanded their investigation to apprehend other members of the gang, with further updates to be provided as the case progresses.
