Police recover sophisticated military weapons in Anambra community

By Cyprian Ebele, Onitsha

Different suspected military weapons have been allegedly  recovered  by the Anambra State Police Command Operatives of the Inspector General of Police, IGP’s Violent Crime Response Unit at Owerre-Ezukala, Orumba South Local Government area.

The operation, led by the Rapid Response Squad Awkuzu Commander, Chief Superintendent of Police, CSP Orebe Chidubem Mathew stormed the scene on a tip-off from a suspect already in custody named, Nnamdi Nkemdilim Ogbonna, male, and aged 37 years.

He was said to be one of the top kingpins of a criminal gang  allegedly committing violent crimes within the state and environs thereby keeping residents in perpetual fear of uncertainty.

Among the said recovered ammunitions included, one General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) with about 2,000 rounds of live chain ammunition, three hand grenades, 10 rounds of K2 live ammunition,

Others are, one gas cylinder, two fabricated rocket launchers with 25 propellers, 10 locally made Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), One locally made Beretta pistol, two pump-action guns, and one black Ecolac box. 

It was gathered that the camp of the gang was earlier destroyed by a Joint Security Team but the defiant gang resurfaced.

Prior to the confession by the suspect in custody, intelligence was received overtime on how some escaped gang members  attempted to regroup but met a great resistance and destruction in the camp from the operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit following a gun duel.

 According to the State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Tochukwu Ikenga, (SP) “Some of the armed suspects also fled the scene, sustaining varying degrees of bullet injuries on the process. 

He disclosed further that, “The gang was involvement in several violent attacks within Anambra State, including attacks on Police facilities, the killing of security personnel comprising Police, Military, and Civil Defence officers, attacks on government facilities, and the murder of security operatives on stop-and-search duties on various roads within the State.

The Commissioner of Police CP Ikioye Orutugu, according to Ikenga, noted that with the creation of the Violent Crime Response Unit, the Command Operatives are now more disposed and motivated to sustaining the offensive operations against all criminal elemheents threatening the peace and security of the State.