The Imo State Police Command has intensified its crackdown on violent crime, rounding up 10 criminals in a series of coordinated raids targeting kidnapping, armed robbery and cult activities across the state.
The command confirmed the arrests in a statement issued in Owerri yesterday, noting that the operations were part of a broader campaign ordered by the Commissioner of Police, Aboki Danjuma, aimed at disrupting criminal networks and restoring public confidence.
The command’s spokesman, Henry Okoye, explained that specialised units were deployed to act on intelligence gathered over recent weeks.
“These operations reflect our renewed resolve to dismantle criminal cells wherever they operate in the state,” he said, stressing that the command was committed to making communities safer.
He revealed that the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, led by ACP Oladimeji Odeyeyiwa, played a major role in the breakthrough.
According to him, officers rescued abducted victims and seized an assortment of weapons, including two AK-47 rifles, three pump-action guns, one locally fabricated pistol, 31 rounds of ammunition and 37 live cartridges.
“The firepower recovered from these gangs underscores the threats they posed,” Okoye added.
One of the operations led officers to the arrest of Odinaka Ekwebelem, Ejike Sunday and Chinedu Duru.
The trio was linked to the abduction of a church member at Faith Glorious Assembly Church, Awo-Omamma, on November 16.
Acting on intelligence, operatives tracked the suspects to a forested hideout, rescued the victim unharmed, and recovered two assault rifles believed to have been used during the abduction.
In another incident, 26-year-old Frank Onyemaechi from Ama-Asaa, Ngugu in Ikeduru Local Government Area, was arrested after detectives obtained reliable information about his activities.
Investigators reportedly found disturbing images of dead and kidnapped individuals on his mobile device.
A follow-up search resulted in the recovery of a locally made pistol and the arrest of his wife, 24-year-old Chidimma Onyemaechi, who allegedly attempted to conceal the weapon.
“These findings were deeply troubling and pointed to a wider criminal operation,” the spokesman noted, adding that further investigations were underway.
The command also stormed a criminal den in Nchoko, Oru-East Local Government Area, where officers arrested three suspects identified as Nkwusi Casmir, 22, Uchenna Ike, 29, and David Ikwunna, 27.
The trio reportedly confessed to being members of a cult group responsible for terrorising residents in the area.
Okoye assured residents that more operations would follow, emphasising that the police would continue targeting the masterminds behind violent crimes.
“Our goal is clear: no criminal element will find Imo State a safe harbour,” he said.
The command urged residents to support ongoing security efforts by providing credible information, noting that community cooperation remained crucial in sustaining the momentum against crime.
The tightening of security across Imo comes at a time when communities have repeatedly called for stronger action against kidnapping syndicates and cult groups.
The latest breakthroughs, police said, are only the beginning of a more aggressive offensive against crime in the state.