In a continued effort to rid Anambra State of criminal elements, a Joint Security Team comprising police operatives from Uli Police Station and local vigilantes on Operation Udo Ga Chi – Zero Kidnapping patrol engaged armed hoodlums in a gun battle on April 19, 2025, along Uli-Amorka axis of the Onitsha-Owerri Road.

During the exchange of gunfire, two suspects identified as Chigozie Johnson and Umuerima Oguta, aged between 30 and 32 years, were arrested. The operatives recovered one automatic pump action gun and two motorcycles from the scene.

According to the Anambra State Police Command, the suspects confessed to being part of a criminal gang and were on an “evil mission” before their arrest. A subsequent search by the security team in a nearby bush revealed heavy blood stains, suggesting that some of the fleeing gang members may have escaped with gunshot wounds.

The Police Command has therefore called on proprietors of public and private hospitals to admit but report anyone presenting with bullet wounds or injuries of a suspicious nature to the nearest police station. This, the Command emphasized, is key to apprehending the fleeing suspects and preventing further criminal acts in the state.

The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, in a statement issued on Sunday, reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to sustaining its security dominance across Anambra through continuous patrols and targeted operations.