In its determination to rid Imo State of crimes and criminality, the state’s Police Command moves against suspected armed robbers, kidnappers, bandits, child traffickers among others resulting in multiple arrest of suspected perpetrators
By Chinedu Oguh,
Port Harcourt
Armed robbers, bandits, kidnappers, child traffickers and other criminal elements in Imo State have never had it so bad. In the last two months 179 criminal suspects of various offences have been arrested while carrying out their nefarious activities by the Imo State Police Command in different locations.
Speaking at a media briefing, the Commissioner of Police (CP) Abodu Garba Bosso on Friday, May 22, 2026 expressed delight as he paraded the 179 suspects before members of the public at the Command’s Headquarters in Owerri.
He said the media briefing and the parade of criminal suspects and exhibits were part of the continued commitment to keeping members of the public and the media properly informed on the security situation and ongoing operational activities of the Imo State Police Command.
“The Imo State Police Command under my stewardship has continued to record a series of operational achievements in the fight against organized crime and criminality in the past two months under review, the command, through painstaking investigation and intelligence-led operations, arrested 179 criminal suspects for various offences.
“The crimes include armed robbery, kidnapping, unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition, rape, cultism, stealing and receiving stolen property, obtaining money under false pretense, as well as terrorism-related offences linked to suspected IPOB/ESN elements and murder,” the Commissioner said.
In the course of investigating the suspects, a large number of exhibits were recovered which according to the police commissioner include Two General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) 6 AK-47 rifles, 10 pump action guns, four locally fabricated single-barrel guns, one pistol, one long gun, two magazines, a large cache of assorted live ammunition, fabricated firearms, charms and suspected stolen vehicles, human skulls, stolen motorcycles and other incriminating items. Some of the suspects he further said have been arraigned in court, while others are undergoing detailed investigation.
Prominent among the arrests according to the police statement is a notorious commander of the proscribed Eastern Security Network (ESN) Mr. Uchenna Mmaduabuchim popularly known as “Ebube Virus” aged 43 years of Ihiteafou-Ukwu in Ehime-Mbano Local Government Area, who confessed to his involvement in a series of violent attacks in parts of the state, including Mbaitoli, Ngor-Okpala, Mbano, Owerri, and Ohaji/Egbema local government areas.
Also arrested are six suspected members of a proscribed IPOB/ESN group during separate intelligence-led coordinated operations. The suspects include Gerald Opariji, also known as “Ezemuo”, Kingsley Achi (61) Collins Mbam Chinasa (66) Oziums Chima (38) Cahila Onyenso (39) and Shadrach Chima (39). According to the police report, they were arrested following investigation into their alleged involvement in terrorism-related activities and other acts of criminality in the state.
In the course of investigating these suspects, Two GPMG rifles, 3115 rounds of live ammunition, four AK 47 rifles, 238 AK 47 ammunitions, seven pump action guns, Biafra Liberation Uniforms, Two locally made single barrel guns, one human skull, six different makes of vehicles which includes Two Toyota Siennas, one Lexus 330 RX SUV, three motorcycles, three bags of substance suspected to be Indian Hemp and various criminal charms were recovered in their hideouts.
In a related development, operatives of the Imo State Police Command, on May 23, 2026, in synergy with the Military and local vigilante raided a hideout located at Ndegwu Forest in Owerri west local government Area of Imo State.
On sighting the operatives, the CP said “the armed hoodlums engage the security team in a gun duel. The operatives responded professionally and with superior fire power, forcing the criminals to flee into adjoining bush with varying degrees of gunshot injuries.”
During the operation, Tentacle further gathered, three (3) kidnapped victims were rescued unhurt. They include Mr. Ogbonna Emmanuel E. 47 of Umuezu Umugubiam, Ofovolo in Owerri West Local Government Area and Mr. Ugochukwu Edmund 60 of Umunoba Erele, Owerri West LGA and Mr. Ebere Okparo 60. Unfortunately, a yet-to-be identified male victim, who sustained gunshot injuries was evacuated to the hospital where he was confirmed dead.
In a different development, operatives of the command on May 14, 2026 at about 1434 hours, arrested one Chigamezu Chukwudi Male 23 of Ndunaju Orandizogu 1, Ideato North LGA for his involvement in rape, cyber-crime and criminal intimidation of a 19-year-old girl.
Investigation revealed that the suspect allegedly deceived the victim into accompanying him to Lekim Royal Hotel and Suites New Owerri under the guise of taking measurements and sewing shirts for him where he allegedly had non-consensual sexual intercourse with her, recorded the act on his phone and thereafter used the video to threaten, intimidate and coerce her into further sexual acts with threats to circulate the video in case should she refuse.
The command also arrested five suspects for their involvement in secret cult activities which led to a rampage in Egbema community, Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State. The suspects include Ifeanyi Okafor ‘m’ 20, James Christian ‘m’ 17, Udemba Chimas ‘m’ 24, Udemba Ogochukwu ‘m’ 18 and Oluebube Nwankwo ‘m’ 23. The suspects were arrested on May 5, 2026 following credible intelligence linking them to cult-related activities that resulted in a panic, unrest and reports sporadic shooting within the community.
Officers and men of the command equally arrested one Prince Nicholas Chukwuma Igwe ‘m’ 55 of Awara Asaa in Ohaji/Egbema LGA for conspiracy, armed robbery and hostage taking. The suspect allegedly conspired with members of his gang to rob and kidnapped one Engr. Oguike Godspower on April 23, 2026 at about 0500 hours at Mgbirichi, Ohaji/Egbema LGA. The suspects were armed with guns and other offensive weapons and operated using a Lexus ES 300 Salon car with registration number plate RRT 975 AH.
Tentacle further learnt that the suspect had earlier served a prison sentence of over 13 years at the Nigeria Correctional Service between 2010 and 2021 for armed robbery, hostage-taking and receiving stolen vehicle, but allegedly returned to criminal activities after his release on April 16, 2025.
Again, on April 16, 2026, the command arrested one Ifeanyi Anyadike ‘m’ 24 of Etitiuru in Ohaji/Egbema LGA for armed robbery. The arrest followed distress calls regarding a gang of armed men who were firing sporadically along Nekede Old Road in Owerri west LGA at about 1800 hrs. Acting on the report, operatives of Anti-kidnapping Unit, Owerri swiftly moved to the scene where one Saviour Friday ‘m’ was robbed of his Red Daylong 150 motorcycle by a three-man gang operating on a black Q-link motorcycle.
During the operation, the suspect was arrested and exhibits recovered from him include one pump-action gun, one live cartridge and two expended cartridges. The stolen motorcycle was also recovered at Awara community in Ohaji-Egbema LGA.
Bosso assured members of the public that the Command remains committed to sustaining and enhancing peace and security across Imo State, saying, “We have intensified intelligence-led operations, show-of-force exercises and confidence building patrols across various parts of the state to consolidate the existing security gains.
“These proactive measures are aimed at ensuring that emerging security threats in areas such as Ihiagwa, Nekede, Irete, Obinze, and other parts of Owerri west and adjoining communities are promptly identified and decisively addressed. The command assured residents, that all necessary efforts are being sustained to proactively nip such threats in the bud and guarantee the safety and security of all law-abiding citizens.”
