Police bust five-member criminal gang, recover firearms in Anambra

The Anambra State Police Command has dismantled a five-member criminal gang that specialised in robbing and dispossessing commercial transporters of their vehicles and belongings in Ihiala Local Government Area.

The operation, carried out by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad, Awkuzu, in the early hours of Tuesday, led to the recovery of several firearms, including a locally made Beretta pistol, three Qlink motorcycles (150 Tiger model) suspected to have been stolen, and a red-coloured face mask.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the Command’s Spokesman, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said a female suspect, who lured unsuspecting commercial motorcyclists for the gang, was also arrested.

Ikenga explained that the female suspect played a strategic role by posing as a passenger and deceiving motorcycle transporters, popularly known as okada riders, to isolated locations where other gang members attacked and dispossessed them of their motorcycles and valuables.

The statement read, “Anambra State Police Command operatives attached to the Rapid Response Squad, Awkuzu, in the early hours of March 24, 2026, arrested a five-member gang, including a female suspect who specialises in luring unsuspecting commercial motorcyclists for robbery operations in Ihiala. The operatives recovered one locally made Beretta pistol, three Qlink motorcycles (150 Tiger model) suspected to have been stolen, and a red-coloured face mask.

“The suspects are: Sunday Chukwudebele, male, 22; Adaobi Udeze, female, 26; Chimezie Ifebi, male, 35; Kelvin Chukwuejike, male, 28; and Uzi Chukwuejike Williams Umeh, male, 26.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the female suspect plays a strategic role in the gang’s operations by posing as a passenger and deceiving motorcycle transporters (popularly known as okada riders) to isolated locations, where other gang members attack and dispossess them of their motorcycles and valuables.”

SP Ikenga added that the Commissioner of Police, Anambra State Command, CP Ikioye Orutugu, commended the operatives for their swift response and reiterated the Command’s commitment to ensuring residents’ safety across the state.

The CP also urged members of the public, especially commercial motorcyclists, to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to the nearest police station.

 Online had reported on March 22 that the Anambra State Police Command arrested three suspected armed robbers and cultists, recovering various arms and ammunition, including a stolen petrol tanker, in separate operations across the state.

According to SP Ikenga, the suspects were arrested on March 21, 2026, around 1:46 p.m., after police operatives, acting on credible intelligence, raided a suspected criminal hideout in Ogidi, Idemili North Local Government Area.

Culled from punch