The eight major service commanders in Anambra State have ordered coordinated raids on all identified crime flashpoints, targeting suspected kidnapping, armed robbery, and other violent criminal activities.

As part of the initiative, all vehicles and public spaces will be subject to thorough security checks, as part of a massive statewide operation to enforce zero tolerance for crime and criminality.

Divisional Police Officers (DPOs), commanders from the 302 Artillery Regiment, and their counterparts in the Nigeria Immigration Service, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Nigeria Customs Service, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have all been directed to immediately swing into action.

To ensure the success of the operation, the respective service commanders have also commenced seven-hour daily patrols of identified flashpoints across the State.

Speaking at the launch of the joint service command’s version of the Udo Ga Chi security operation, the Anambra State Commissioner of Police, Ikioye Orutugu, said:

“The Police, as the lead agency in internal security, have initiated an operation codenamed Operation Udo Ga Chi: Zero Kidnapping and Other Violent Crimes in the State. It is a proactive template to allay fears of insecurity and effectively police the state, especially as we encourage the great people of Anambra to come home en masse for the festive period.

“Let us reiterate that no single agency can take credit for the security successes in the State. The operation comprises the Police, the Army from 302 Artillery Regiment (GS), the Navy from the Naval Outpost, the DSS, NSCDC, Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Correctional Service, FRSC, Anambra State Vigilante Services, and most importantly, Ndi Anambra themselves, who are now cooperating with security agencies by sharing actionable intelligence that will lead to the arrest and prosecution of criminals.”

He added that the security forces are now more motivated, and the operation will provide a coordinated approach to reclaiming public spaces. It will also include daily briefings to allow for regular re-strategizing as the operation progresses.

Furthermore, all DPOs and other security formations across the State have been directed to carry out massive raids on identified criminal flashpoints and hotspots within their areas of responsibility.

This move, according to CP Orutugu, aims to dislodge criminal elements, stay ahead of emerging threats, and reinforce public confidence in the state’s security architecture.

The Operation Udo Ga Chi initiative, he noted, is intelligence-driven and involves stop-and-search operations, joint security patrols, and the strategic deployment of operatives and Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) to identified high-risk locations, ensuring rapid response to any security breach.