By OBINNA UNAEZE

The Anambra Police Command has arrested a suspected secessionist in Umudioka, Dunukofia Local Government Area ( LGA) of the state.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, SP Tochukwu Ikenga disclosed this in a statement on Friday in Awka.

The command also arrested six suspected criminals, including a female, during a raid on identified black spots in Ekwulobia, Aguata LGA of the state.

Ikenga explained that the continuos raid of suspected criminal hideout in the state was carried out in line with the directives of the Inspector-General of Police (I-G) Olatunji Disu.

“The operation was also in furtherance of the command’s intensified operational strategy against violent crimes, cultism and illicit drug trafficking.

“Acting on credible intelligence on Thursday, operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit arrested a 65-year-old male, Ifeanyi Ogbuagbo, in Umudioka.

“A careful search of his residence led to the recovery of an army uniform and expended shells of ammunition concealed in a black polythene bag.

“Preliminary information linked the suspect to a criminal gang agitating for self government,” he said.

The police spokesman said that the suspect has been taken into custody for investigation, while efforts are ongoing to establish the full circumstances surrounding the recovered items and his alleged activities.

According to him, in the evening of the same day, operatives acting on credible intelligence and in furtherance of the directive to raid identified black spots and criminal hideouts, stormed a suspected criminal hideout in Ekwulobia, Aguata LGA.

“The operation resulted in the arrest of six suspects identified as Chisom Okafor, female, 25; Onyedika Moses, male, 36; Iruka Nwaonu, male, 30; Joseph Nwankwo, male, 36; Chukwujekwu Nwoso, male, 32; and Akanimo Orok, male, 40,” he said.

He said that during the operation, a sizeable quantity of dried weeds suspected to be Indian hemp and other substances suspected to be illicit drugs were recovered.

Ikenga quoted the Commissioner of Police Nnanna Ama, as saying that the command would continue to deploy intelligence-led operations, strategic patrols and coordinated raids to dismantle criminal networks, and deny criminals safe havens across the state.

The commissioner further directed that the ongoing raids operation of criminal hideouts, drug-selling spots and other identified areas of criminal activities in the state be intensified and sustained. (NAN)

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