The Nigeria Police Force, NPF, has recorded significant operational successes in the last 24 hours across several states of the federation, with the arrest of armed robbers, kidnappers and murder suspects, as well as the rescue of abducted victims and recovery of firearms and ammunition.
This was contained in a state-by-state executive summary of operational achievements released on 5th October, 2026 by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, on behalf of the Inspector-General of Police, from the Force Headquarters, Louis Edet House, Abuja.
According to the police, the most notable breakthrough was recorded in Rivers State, where detectives arrested three members of a notorious armed robbery and kidnapping gang that has been terrorising communities in the state for months.
The suspects were identified as Chinemerem Uchiewo, Michael Ishaka and Gideon Okah, who was tracked and arrested in Owerri, Imo State, after intelligence revealed his hideout, bringing an end to their reign of criminal activities.
Police investigations revealed that the gang confessed to carrying out multiple armed robberies and kidnappings in Choba, Elele-Alimini, Emohua Local Government Area and Rumuokpe community, where they had instilled fear in residents and commuters.
The gang also admitted to being responsible for the robbery and murder of one Joseph Onyeka in Rumuji community on 23rd July, 2026, a case that had generated public outrage and calls for justice in Rivers State.
Furthermore, the suspects confessed to attacking and shooting Inspector Womoma Nnanna, who is attached to the QIU Formation, at Elele-Alimini Junction along the East-West Road on 4th August, 2026, during which they snatched his AK-47 rifle and fled the scene.
Following their arrest, police operatives recovered a large cache of arms and ammunition, including two AK-47 rifles, one of which was confirmed to be the rifle snatched from the injured officer, two pump-action rifles, one English-made double-barrel gun, one locally-made revolver pistol and fifty-eight rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition.
The Rivers State case is currently being investigated by the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, in Port Harcourt, as detectives work to apprehend other fleeing members of the gang and recover more stolen items.
In Kano State, the police recorded another success with the rescue of two farm labourers who were abducted by suspected armed hoodlums who invaded a farm at Bagauda Dam in Bebeji Local Government Area belonging to Alhaji Hassan Labe.
According to the police report, the gunmen stormed the farm shooting sporadically to scare workers before whisking away two labourers into the bush, prompting a swift response from police operatives who mobilised to the scene immediately.
The operatives combed the surrounding bushes and nearby communities and successfully rescued both abducted labourers unhurt, reuniting them with their families and restoring calm to the farming community, while investigation continues at SCID Bompai.
In Anambra State, operatives of the Rapid Response Squad, RRS, in collaboration with Agu-Nechemba Vigilante Group, Onitsha Sector, acted on credible intelligence and arrested four suspected armed robbers who specialise in attacking shuttle bus drivers.
The suspects were identified as Denis Agwu, 30 years old, Elvis Udo Effiong, 45, Femi Adekova, 45, and Chijioke Obinozie, 35, all males, who confessed to being part of a six-man gang that robs drivers at gunpoint and diverts company goods.
Police disclosed that the gang recently diverted company goods valued at N40 million from Onitsha to Chijioke Obinozie who serves as the receiver of stolen items, while a large quantity of illicit drugs and substances were also recovered from them during the operation.
The Anambra State suspects are currently in custody at SCID Awka where further investigation is ongoing to arrest the remaining two members of the gang and recover the diverted goods worth millions of naira.
In Bayelsa State, police detectives traced and recovered a stolen tricycle along Wudil Axis and arrested two suspects in connection with the robbery, recovering two locally-made guns used for the operation from the suspects.
Investigations showed that the tricycle was earlier snatched from one Nasiru Ibrahim at gunpoint after the suspects chartered his tricycle to Maiduguri Road and attacked him on the way, dispossessing him of his means of livelihood.
In Kogi State, detectives arrested two female suspects, Olorunada Suzan and Sixirat Moses, in connection with a case of culpable homicide involving the murder of a 90-year-old woman, Juliana Joel, also known as Oyohu, who was found dead under her bed with her throat slit.
The corpse of the nonagenarian has been evacuated and deposited at the morgue for autopsy, while the suspects are being interrogated at SCID Lokoja to unravel the motive behind the gruesome murder of the elderly woman.
In the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, the police recorded a disturbing case of infanticide after surveillance personnel responded to a distress call about an abandoned baby found in a bush with severe cut injuries on the neck and abdomen.
Preliminary investigation led to the arrest of the mother of the baby, Precious Yohana, 27 years old, who confessed to delivering the baby alone without any assistance and using a razor blade to cut the baby’s neck and abdomen before abandoning the corpse.
The FCT case is currently being investigated by the Criminal Investigation Department, CID, Abuja, while the Nigeria Police Force reassured Nigerians of its commitment to protecting lives and property, urging citizens to continue to provide credible information to assist police operations across the country.
