•The suspects
The Imo State Police Command has arrested 24 suspects during an intensive security operation carried out in forested communities in Owerri West Local Government Area, as part of efforts to curb alleged kidnapping and violent crimes in the area.
The operation, conducted today, involved operatives of the police command working alongside members of the Imo State Security Organization vigilantes in Eziobodo, Ihiagwa, Nekede and Okolochi communities, reports The Nation.
According to a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Henry Okoye, the exercise was initiated following directives from the Commissioner of Police, CP Audu Garba Bosso, aimed at addressing insecurity and restoring public confidence.
The statement read: “In line with proactive security measures emplaced by the Commissioner of Police, Imo State Command, to nip in the bud the alleged kidnapping and violent incidents reported in parts of Owerri West LGA, operatives of the Imo State Police Command, in collaboration with vigilantes, embarked on an intensive combing operation across forested areas.”
The police disclosed that more than 250 personnel, including officers and vigilante operatives, participated in the operation, which was led by the Area Commander, Owerri Urban, ACP Micheal Abattam.
The command said the raid targeted suspected criminal hideouts and black spots within the forests “with the aim of completely eradicating criminal activities and restoring public confidence in the affected communities.”
Police further revealed that 24 suspects were apprehended during the operation, with some identified as Jonah Abotu, 21; Abel John, 22; Ibrahim Ubande, 40; Peter Samuel, 28; Kabiru Yahaya, 20; and Yahaya Adamu, 22, among others.
Items reportedly recovered from some of the suspects included substances suspected to be cannabis sativa, more than six unregistered motorcycles and other items considered incriminating.
“The suspects have been transferred to the Command’s Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) for thorough investigation and possible prosecution in accordance with the law,” the statement added.
Reaffirming the Command’s resolve to tackle insecurity, the Commissioner of Police vowed to sustain aggressive operations against criminal activities across the state.
The police urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious persons or activities to security agencies, assuring that coordinated operations would continue “until all criminal elements are completely flushed out of their hideouts.”
