The Anambra State Police Command has arrested three suspected armed robbers and cultists while recovering weapons, ammunition, and a stolen petrol tanker in coordinated operations across the state.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed that operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Awkuzu, carried out the arrests on March 21, 2026, following credible intelligence.
According to Ikenga, the police stormed a suspected criminal hideout in Ogidi, located in Idemili North Local Government Area, at about 1:46 pm, leading to the arrest of three suspects identified as Francis Chukwuka Anene (46), Emmanuel Obi (29), and Okoye Chinonso (35), who is alleged to be a serving member of a security agency.
Items recovered from the suspects include two locally made Beretta pistols, four rounds of live 9mm ammunition, and a suspected fake security agency identity card.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the suspects are part of a criminal syndicate allegedly involved in armed robbery, kidnapping, and other activities that have terrorised residents of Ogidi and surrounding communities.
In a related development, police operatives attached to the Ozubulu Division recovered a suspected stolen white trailer tanker in the early hours of March 17, 2026.
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The vehicle was found abandoned along the Onitsha/Owerri Expressway without a registration number, with its key still in the ignition.
Authorities believe the tanker may have been abandoned by an unidentified individual, and efforts are ongoing to trace its rightful owner and uncover the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, CP Ikioye Orutugu, reassured residents of the Command’s commitment to maintaining safety and security across the state.
He also urged the public to continue providing timely and credible information to aid police operations.
This development comes shortly after the Command arrested two other suspects in connection with a staged kidnapping case involving the victim’s boyfriend, who allegedly collaborated in extorting ₦240,000 from the victim’s parents.
Investigations into both incidents are ongoing.
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