The Imo State Police Command, under Aboki Danjuma, the Commissioner of Police, says it has swooped upon the den of a kidnapping syndicate, arrested 147 suspects, rescued some kidnapped victims and recovered some arms. According to a statement from Henry Okoye, the Police Public Relations Officer(PPRO) , the exercise is “a major security sweep”.
“After thorough investigations and intelligence-led operations, 147 suspects were arrested for crimes including armed robbery, kidnapping, murder, rape, stealing, receiving stolen property, child trafficking, and terrorism”, he said.
And the Police “recovered from these suspects were 7 AK-47 rifles, 3 AK-47 magazines, 7 pump action guns, 7 locally fabricated long guns, 178 live cartridges, 3 motorcycles, various denominations of Biafra currency, 4 Biafra flags, and several criminal charms”.
He further stated that five armed suspects were killed during fierce gun battles with Police operatives and seven kidnapped victims were successfully rescued.
Read also: Police arrest four in Imo for kidnapping, recover arms
Okoye stated that a major breakthrough occurred on 20th May, 2025 around 4 pm in Umuaka, Njaba LGA, when anti-Kidnapping operatives arrested Ozioma Ihedoro, a 37-year-old native doctor, who had been on the Command’s wanted list.
According to him, Ozioma Ihedoro had admitted to being the spiritual adviser to an IPOB/ESN Commander known as “B44″. And during a search in his shrine, the Police operatives recovered an AK-47 rifle, three magazines and seven live rounds.
”In a related development, on 19th May 2025, the Anti-Kidnapping Squad, in synergy with operatives of Njaba Division, arrested three armed robbery suspects, Chinonso Anayo (aka Pablo, (24 years), Emmanuel John (21years), and Ifeanyi John (20 years) all who are from Isiagu, Ebonyi State”, he said.
They were apprehended during a surveillance operation and confessed to multiple robberies and that the Police operatives also recovered one Q-Link motorcycle, two pump action guns, and fifteen live cartridges.
Okoye further said that Aboki Danjuma, the Commissioner of Police, had commended the operatives for their resilience, just as he reiterated the Command’s commitment, alongside other security agencies, to safeguarding lives and property in Imo State.
He urged residents in Imo to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the nearest Police station or the emergency line: 0803 477 3600.
