From TCNEWS
In a determined effort to strengthen public safety, the Abia State Police Command has announced a series of significant arrests and recoveries spanning from January to June 2025.
Speaking at a press briefing held at the Command Headquarters in Umuahia on Friday, July 4, Commissioner of Police, CP Danladi Isa, outlined key operations across various local government areas including Ikwuano, Umuahia, Isuikwuato, Bende, and others, highlighting the command’s commitment to eradicating crime and fostering a safer environment.
One of the most prominent operations took place in Ahuwa/Umuigu Oboro community, Ikwuano LGA, where police officers from the Anti-Cultism Unit arrested 24 suspects linked to an unlawful society on June 29. Recovered from the suspects were a locally made pistol, a live cartridge, cult regalia including a black beret, anchor pendant, and a face cap bearing “De Norseman K Club.” The suspects are currently remanded at the Afara Correctional Centre as investigations continue.
In Ubakala, the division responded swiftly to multiple crimes: On June 17, Enwereaka Ndidi, 53, was arrested for allegedly killing Rev. Fr. Geoffrey Oparakwe during a mediation session. The fatal altercation occurred in the presence of witnesses, prompting immediate police intervention; On June 8, officers apprehended Hyginus Anayo Onuzuruike for stealing iron rods from a ceramic company. A tricycle and the stolen materials were recovered from the suspect; and on May 16, a raid on Golden ‘B’ Brothel led to the arrest of 11 suspects and seizure of machetes and wraps of illicit drugs suspected to be Indian hemp.
In Uturu, two critical cases were handled in recent months; on May 4, two Chinese expatriates and a police officer were killed during an attack en route to a worksite in Agukwu Amaya Ndudu community, Isuikwuato LGA. The police arrested Chisom Chikwendu, 35, in connection with the incident on May 28. He is currently in prison custody as investigations proceed to apprehend accomplices; and on June 27, two suspects, Ezaka Festus, 23, and Emmanuel Chisom, 22, were intercepted in Onuaku community, Uturu, in possession of a stolen black Toyota Camry and multiple high-end mobile devices. The suspects confessed to stealing the vehicle from a car stand in Enugu during a supposed test drive.
Additionally, Damian Oguchi, 35, was arrested in Uturu on May 5 after allegedly attacking a 75-year-old man with a machete over a land dispute.
In total, from January to June 2025, the Abia State Police Command arrested 245 suspects (230 male and 15 female), rescued 9 kidnapped victims and 18 trafficked children, and recovered a vast cache of weapons, including:15 locally made short guns, 4 AK-47 rifles, 2 Ruger 1022 foreign rifles, 1 LAR rifle, over 340 rounds of ammunition; retrieved 4 vehicles, 2 motorcycles, 3 auto-rickshaws, and a large assortment of stolen goods, ranging from phones and electronics to chemicals, weapons, and cult paraphernalia; and discovered and dismantled criminal syndicates involved in murder, defilement, cultism, kidnapping, theft, and trafficking.
Among the notable cases: Blessing and Sunday Emebo were arrested on May 19 for operating an unregistered orphanage in Aba, where 12 trafficked children were found; a separate rescue effort on May 11 in Isuochi led to the safe return of two kidnapped victims, Mr. and Mrs. Chibueze; and multiple arrests were made for unlawful possession of firearms, including suspects in Bende, Obehie, Ohuhu, and Ogbor-Hill.
CP Danladi Isa emphasized the importance of community involvement and inter-agency collaboration. He credited the successes to intelligence-driven policing, public cooperation, and joint operations with local vigilantes and other security forces.
“These arrests and recoveries reflect the tireless efforts of our officers and the critical support we receive from communities. We remain committed to delivering professional policing and ensuring that Abia remains safe for all,” CP Isa stated.
Interacting with our correspondent in Umuahia, the President General of Ahuwa-Oboro autonomous community in Ikwuano Local Government Area of the state, Engr. James Nnadozie Uchegbuo, lauded the scale and coordination of these operations, which he said signaled a renewed capacity by law enforcement to respond swiftly and effectively to criminal threats.
“The developments bolster confidence in local security infrastructure and underscore the role of transparency and public partnership in building safer communities”, Uchegbuo said as a concerned citizen and stakeholder in Abia State.
