The Anambra State Police Command has arrested a 25-year-old man, identified as Emmanuel Chekwube Mark, over alleged involvement in kidnapping and armed robbery.
Mark was reportedly arrested in the early hours of Thursday, August 27, 2026, by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad, Awkuzu, following intelligence-led operations around the Ifite Awka area of Awka South Local Government Area.
According to the police, three firearms were recovered from the suspect, including one locally fabricated pistol and two pump-action guns. A military-pattern face cap was also recovered during the operation.
The state police spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said preliminary investigations indicated that Mark was allegedly a member of a four-man kidnapping and armed robbery syndicate operating in the area.
Ikenga disclosed that the suspect allegedly admitted to conspiring with other members of the gang, who are currently at large, to abduct unsuspecting residents.
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The police further alleged that Mark confessed to participating in the kidnapping of a victim on July 22, 2026. The victim was reportedly robbed of his valuables and later allegedly killed, with his remains abandoned in a bush.
According to the police account, the syndicate allegedly used a tricycle to target victims. The suspects would reportedly block their intended victim and accuse the person of scratching or damaging the tricycle, before engaging them in an argument.
The gang would then allegedly overpower the victim at gunpoint and take them to a hideout in Umoji, Ebenebe, where victims were reportedly tortured and dispossessed of their valuables.
The Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, CP Nnanna Ama, has ordered a comprehensive investigation into the case and directed officers to intensify efforts to arrest the fleeing members of the alleged syndicate.
The police command said it would continue its intelligence-led operations aimed at tackling kidnapping, armed robbery and other violent crimes across the state.
The suspect remains in police custody as investigations continue.
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