A combined team of security operatives on Wednesday, June 5, 2025, stormed and dismantled a suspected criminal hideout in Agulu-Ezechukwu, Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State, neutralizing one armed suspect in a fierce gun battle and recovering stolen items, including two vehicles and a motorcycle.
The operation, spearheaded by the police and supported by operatives from the Department of State Services (DSS), Nigerian Army, Navy, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and members of the Anambra State Vigilante Group, lasted approximately seven hours.
According to the Anambra State Police Command, the joint task force engaged the armed hoodlums in a prolonged shootout before successfully overrunning the camp. In the process, one of the suspected criminals was fatally wounded, while others fled the scene.
Items recovered from the camp include an ash-coloured Toyota Sienna with registration number EKY 03 FF, an unregistered white Mazda Hilux, a motorcycle, and various household and kitchen items such as pots, gallons, groceries, sleeping mattresses, mechanical tools, clothes, and other materials believed to be linked to criminal activities.
Spokesperson of the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the development in a statement released on Thursday.
“The operatives are still combing the area for possible arrests of other fleeing suspects. A lot of fresh blood stains were discovered in the vicinity, indicating that more members of the gang may have sustained injuries,” the statement read.
The police assured the public that further updates will be provided as investigations continue.
The raid is part of ongoing efforts by security agencies to clamp down on criminal elements and restore peace in troubled parts of the state.