The Anambra State Police Command has extended warm Easter greetings to the people of the state, while assuring residents and visitors of intensified security patrols aimed at ensuring a peaceful and safe celebration.
In a statement released on Saturday, April 19, 2025, by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the Command disclosed that during its ongoing Easter security operations, it successfully rescued two kidnapped victims, arrested a notorious cultist and kidnap suspect, and recovered a cache of arms and other incriminating items.
According to the statement, the rescue of the two kidnap victims took place on April 18 during a coordinated operation by the Joint Security Team comprising operatives from the Uli Divisional Police Headquarters and the Uli Vigilante group. The victims were abducted on Sunday, April 13, at Amorka Village, Uli, along the Onitsha-Owerri Expressway, where armed men ambushed their vehicle, forcefully transferred them into another vehicle, and fled the scene. The victims’ abandoned vehicle was later recovered and taken to the police station for safekeeping.
The Police said efforts are ongoing to apprehend the perpetrators.
In a separate operation on April 17, police officers attached to the Fegge Divisional Headquarters, while on patrol around Upper Iweka, Onitsha, intercepted a suspiciously parked bus along Port Harcourt Road. A search of the vehicle revealed five pump-action guns, eight live cartridges, and two handcuffs hidden inside a bag of rice. The arms and the vehicle have been recovered as investigations continue to identify those responsible.
Also on April 17, operatives of the Rapid Response Squad/Anti-Kidnapping Unit, acting on credible intelligence, arrested a 25-year-old suspect, Israel Akachukwu, at Ezeigwe Street, Nkpor in Idemili North Local Government Area. The search of his apartment led to the recovery of two pump-action guns, two live cartridges, a cutlass, a yellow axe, and a dagger. The suspect reportedly confessed to being a member of the Vikings Confraternity and is currently assisting the police in tracking down other members of the gang.
Commenting on the developments, the Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, CP Ikioye Orutugu, urged the public to remain law-abiding, vigilant, and security-conscious. He also called on residents to use the Easter period to emulate the humility and selflessness of Christ and to pray for lasting peace and security in the state and the country.
The CP reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to safeguarding lives and property during the Easter holidays and beyond.