By Izunna Okafor, Awka
The Anambra State Police Command says it has foiled an alleged plot to murder a man and subsequently take over his landed properties, following an intelligence-led operation that led to the arrest of four suspects and the recovery of two firearms and live ammunition.
The operation was reportedly carried out on Wednesday evening, August 12, in Ukwulu, Dunukofia Local Government Area, and Amichi, Nnewi South Local Government Area.
The Police Public Relations Officer of the Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday, saying the breakthrough followed intelligence gathered as part of the renewed operational strategy of the Commissioner of Police, CP Nnanna Oji Ama.
He said operatives of the Rapid Response Squad, Awkuzu, working with Agunechemba security personnel attached to Amichi, moved in after receiving credible information about the alleged plot and succeeded in disrupting it before it could be carried out.
Four suspects, he said, were arrested during the operation at different locations in Ukwulu and Amichi. They were identified as 38-year-old Obiora Nwankwo; 36-year-old Chiadikobi Okoye; 42-year-old Emmanuel Mboko; and 37-year-old Ifeanyi Obi.
The Police said two firearms and live ammunition were also recovered from the suspects during the operation.
According to the Command, preliminary investigation indicates that the suspects were allegedly connected with a plan to kill a citizen and thereafter take possession of his landed properties.
The exact circumstances surrounding the alleged plot, including the identity of the intended victim and the individual interests behind the alleged plan, were not disclosed by the Police.
Ikenga said investigation was ongoing to establish the full circumstances of the alleged conspiracy, determine the specific roles of the four suspects and identify other persons who may have been involved.
The suspects, he noted, are currently in Police custody as investigators work to unravel the extent of the alleged conspiracy and the source and intended use of the recovered firearms and ammunition.
The Police added that the Ukwulu operation demonstrates the importance of early intelligence in disrupting criminal plans and preventing possible loss of life and property.
The latest development is one of the first major operational breakthroughs recorded under CP Nnanna Oji Ama, who assumed duty as the 36th Commissioner of Police in Anambra State on Monday, August 10.
The new Commissioner had, upon taking over the Command, pledged to strengthen intelligence gathering and intelligence-led policing, while working more closely with communities, sister security agencies, vigilante groups and other stakeholders to prevent crimes before they are carried out.
Reacting to the feat, CP Oji Ama consequently reiterated the Command’s determination to sustain targeted operations against criminal elements and prevent Anambra from becoming a safe haven for those planning violent crimes.
The Command also called on residents and community leaders to continue providing credible information on suspicious activities and persons, stressing that timely intelligence could help security agencies prevent attacks before they occur.
