The Anambra State Police Command has arrested five suspected members of a dangerous armed robbery and kidnapping gang, including a former Nigerian soldier, in Awka, the state capital.
The arrests were made following a tactical raid on the gang’s hideout by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) at Awkuzu on Wednesday, August 27, 2025.
The spokesperson of the Command, Superintendent Tochukwu Ikenga, made this known in a statement issued on Thursday. He explained that the operation was based on credible intelligence about the kidnapping of a local farmer in Isiagu, Awka South Local Government Area.
The farmer, who was abducted by the gang, was later released after his family reportedly paid an undisclosed ransom.
According to the police statement, the operation led to the arrest of five suspects, including a man who confessed to being a deserter from the Nigerian Army.
The suspects were identified as:
-Dominic Oraz, 38, a confessed military deserter
-Michael Nwobodo, 30
-Eze Friday, 29
-Uche Okolo, 23
-Chinedu Gilbert, 29
SP Ikenga disclosed that the police acted swiftly after gathering intelligence on the gang’s location in Notoko, Awka, where the suspects were tracked and arrested without any exchange of gunfire.
During the operation, the police recovered several dangerous items from the suspects, including:
Six automatic pump-action guns
63 rounds of live cartridges
One microscope
Five machetes
A military cap
Two police teargas canisters
A pair of handcuffs
A suspected rocket launcher
Several criminal charms
Three Motorola walkie-talkies
One jackknife
One power bank
₦26,000 cash
The police said these items point to the sophistication and preparedness of the gang to carry out criminal operations.
During questioning, Dominic Oraz, the former soldier, confessed that he abandoned his duty post in November 2024. The police have since contacted the Nigerian Army authorities to verify his claims and determine the next line of action.
Ikenga stated that investigations into the gang’s operations are still ongoing, and efforts are being made to track down any other members still at large.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, praised the Rapid Response Squad for the successful operation. He called on members of the public to continue providing useful information to the police to help tackle criminal activities in the state.
“We are committed to making Anambra safer. This arrest is part of our wider effort to fight violent crime and bring criminals to justice,” the Commissioner said.
Anambra, like many states in Nigeria, has seen a rise in cases of kidnapping and armed robbery, especially in semi-urban and rural communities. The police in recent months have intensified efforts to disrupt criminal networks and reduce insecurity.
The latest arrests are seen as a major breakthrough for the Command in its ongoing campaign to rid the state of armed gangs.
The suspects are expected to be charged to court after investigations are concluded.
