The Anambra State Police Command has arrested five suspected members of a violent armed robbery and kidnapping gang, including a former soldier who deserted the Nigerian Army.
Spokesperson of the Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, noting that the suspects were apprehended following an intelligence-led operation by the Rapid Response Squad in Awkuzu on Wednesday, August 27, 2025.
Ikenga said the arrests came after the abduction of a farmer at Isiagu, Awka. The victim was later released after a ransom was paid.
Acting on credible intelligence, operatives stormed the gang’s hideout at Notoko, Awka, where the suspects were overpowered and taken into custody.
The arrested suspects were identified as 38-year-old Dominic Oraz, a confessed army deserter; 30-year-old Michael Nwobodo; 29-year-old Eze Friday; 23-year-old Uche Okolo; and 29-year-old Chinedu Gilbert.
Recovered items from the gang include six pump-action rifles, 63 rounds of live cartridges, five machetes, two police teargas canisters, handcuffs, one military cap, a robber’s rocket launcher, criminal charms, three Motorola walkie-talkies, a jack knife, a microscope, one power bank, and N26,000 cash.
“During interrogation, Oraz admitted to abandoning the Nigerian Army in November 2024.
Investigations are ongoing in collaboration with military authorities to determine his service record and guide further prosecution of the suspects,” Ikenga stated.
The Commissioner of Police in Anambra, CP Ikioye Orutugu, commended the operatives for the successful raid and urged residents to remain vigilant.
He assured that the Command remained committed to dismantling criminal networks and safeguarding lives and property across the state.
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