Two suspected kidnappers have been killed during a gun battle with operatives of the Anambra State Police Command along the Eziowelle Road in Idemili Local Government Area.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Wednesday, August 19, 2026, following intelligence received by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad attached to Awkuzu.
The command’s spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed this in a statement, saying the operatives moved to the area after receiving information about the presence of suspected armed robbers and kidnappers.
According to him, the suspects opened fire on the police team when they sighted the operatives, forcing the officers to engage them in a gun duel.
Ikenga said two members of the gang sustained fatal gunshot injuries during the confrontation, while other suspects escaped with varying degrees of gunshot wounds.
The police recovered an AK-47 rifle fitted with a magazine containing four live rounds, a pump-action gun and five live cartridges from the scene.
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Ikenga said the operation formed part of the command’s intelligence-led efforts to tackle kidnapping, armed robbery and other violent crimes across the state.
He added that the command, under the leadership of Commissioner of Police Nnanna Oji Ama, had intensified efforts to locate the fleeing members of the gang.
“The Command has commenced further investigations and intensified efforts to track down the fleeing members of the gang,” he said.
He assured residents that the police would sustain proactive operations aimed at dismantling criminal networks and improving security across Anambra State.
Further developments on the operation, he added, would be communicated to the public.