The Anambra State Police Command has in recent days intensified its onslaught against criminality, recording a series of major breakthroughs against armed robbers, kidnappers, secessionist insurgents, fake abductors, and cult-related criminals. However, the disturbing nature and frequency of these incidents have raised deep concerns about the rising tide of insecurity and moral decay across the state.
On 27th August 2025, operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) Awkuzu arrested five members of a notorious armed robbery and kidnapping syndicate in Awka. The suspects—Michael Nwobodo (30), Eze Friday (29), Uche Okolo (23), Chinedu Gilbert (29), and Dominic Oraz (38), a confessed deserter of the Nigerian Army—were apprehended in their hideout at Notoko, Awka, after the abduction of a farmer at Isiagu. Although the victim was released after ransom was paid, the police swiftly tracked down the gang.
Shocking exhibits recovered included six pump-action guns, 63 rounds of live cartridges, machetes, military and police items, a rocket launcher, walkie-talkies, criminal charms, and ₦26,000 cash. During interrogation, Oraz admitted deserting the Nigerian Army in November 2024, a revelation that underscores the infiltration of trained security deserters into violent crimes.
Just days earlier, on 21st August 2025, in a daring 15-hour joint operation, the RRS in collaboration with the Anambra Vigilante Group (AVG) Agunechemba, stormed a secessionist/terrorist camp at Awa in Orumba North LGA. A kidnapped victim, whose family had paid ₦20 million ransom without release, was rescued after a fierce gun battle in which four insurgents were neutralized. The camp was a war-like arsenal, with recovered exhibits including AK-47 and K2 rifles, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), pump-action guns, vehicles including a black Lexus RX 350 Jeep and multiple Toyota Camry cars, as well as food stockpiles and communication gadgets. Police vowed to hunt down fleeing members and dismantle other insurgent camps across the state.
In a troubling twist reflecting societal decline, on 30th August 2025, the Command announced the arrest of two suspects—23-year-old Nmesoma Josephine Nwoye and her boyfriend, 24-year-old Chibuike Ogbu—over a staged kidnapping. Investigations revealed that Josephine conspired with her boyfriend to extort her own family, demanding ₦15 million ransom. Her family eventually transferred ₦3 million, of which ₦1.2 million was recovered by police. Condemning the act, CP Ikioye Orutugu described it as “a disturbing sign of moral decay in society,” urging parents and community leaders to instill integrity and discipline in youths.
Similarly, in another operation on 28th August 2025, operatives of the Special Anti-Cult Squad (SPACS) arrested 35-year-old Ebuka Ubadigbo at Nkpor-Umuoji Road, Idemili North LGA. The suspect, identified as a cultist and drug peddler, was caught with two pump-action guns, live cartridges, and large quantities of hard drugs. Preliminary interrogation confirmed his involvement in drug trafficking, with further investigations ongoing to expose his network.
Reacting to these disturbing developments, CP Orutugu commended the gallantry of operatives but decried the rising spate of violent crime, fake abductions, and youth involvement in criminal activities. He reassured Ndi Anambra of the Command’s commitment to flushing out criminal elements but stressed the need for citizens to remain vigilant, law-abiding, and proactive in reporting suspicious activities.
The rapid succession of arrests—spanning armed robbery, terrorism, staged kidnappings, and cult-linked drug trafficking—points to a worrying escalation of criminal sophistication in Anambra State. While the police continue to strike hard against these elements, the growing moral and security crisis remains a source of grave concern for both residents and authorities.
