BREAKING: Air Raid Looms In Anambra Against Gunmen

Anambra State may witness sustained air strikes to checkmate the activities of the unknown gunmen in the North and South Senatorial Districts of the Joint Task Force on Security…..CONTINUE READING…CONTINUE READING

Recall that in the last one year, the security task force has been engaging the gunmen in the twelve local government areas in Anambra state which has recorded successful results as well as loss of personnel.

This is coming as the Police Command yesterday rescued a kidnap victim and neutralized suspected kidnappers which confirmed the death of one gang member while others fled with bullet wounds and it is being suspected that one of the escapees may have also died.

According to a release by the Police Public Relations Officer DSP Tochukwu Ikenga;

“Anambra Police Gun Down Kidnapper at Obosi; Recovers Gun and Cartridges; Rescues victim with minor injuries”

Men of Anambra State Police Command have rescued a kidnap victim, one Abuchi (Surname withheld) from Orumba South LGA of the State.

Police Operatives while on Anti-Crime Patrol in Obosi at about 7.30 p.m. on 9th September, 2023 were stopped by residents and informed about a kidnap incident. The public-spirited citizens pointed the Police in the direction the kidnappers went after seizing their victim.

Police then trailed the kidnappers to an uncompleted building surrounded by bush in Umuota Village, Obosi where a gunfire exchange with the kidnappers ensued.

One of the hoodlums was shot and arrested while others escaped, some with bullet wounds. One double barrel pistol, and two live and one expended cartridge were recovered from the gang.

The arrested suspect gave his name as Nwasu Ikenna from Obosi. He identified those that escaped as Ebuka a.k.a Big; Chinedu Emmanuel and Chukwu Ojoto.

The hoodlum who identified Ebuka as the leader of the gang gave up the ghost on the way to the hospital for treatment.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Aderemi Adeoye, who commended the team for its gallantry has directed that the suspects at large be declared wanted and hunted down.

Similarly, Adeoye announced that the Command may apply airstrikes in the remaining local government areas in Anambra North and South Senatorial Districts to completely end the insurgency in the area.

He also announced that the Command has taken over five local government areas in Anambra state restoring law and order in those areas.

“You will agree with me that up till now we have not used air strikes, Why? Because we are concerned about the safety of the people there. We don’t want collateral damage. But if their existence there will make life meaningless to innocent people, then the federal government would have been pushed to the wall to go all out and take them out, in order to secure the people who have become canon-folder in their hands.”

“95 percent of their victims are their own relatives. The other five percent are travelers, who due to a lack of knowledge of the area, run into them. Our advice is to use the expressway always.

“We are working to gradually reclaim all these areas that the insurgents have turned into their hideouts, because of natural forests, harsh topography, difficult terrains, and others. They take refuge in that place and launch attacks from there, but now it is very difficult for them to launch such attacks and come out alive.”

He said: “What almost engulfed the whole state is insurgency, and you know this is like guerilla warfare. When you fight guerilla warfare, you must be deliberate and methodical because it is not a conventional war.

“You make progress slowly. You gain grounds, you secure it. You reclaim occupied territory secure it and then go further.

“Before now, all the seven local government areas that are in the Anambra South Zone were under the control of the insurgents. But now other parts of the state are safe except Nnewi South and a few areas in Ihiala.

“So out of seven local government areas, we have reclaimed five, and we are working on liberating the remaining two. Incidentally, those two have links with Imo. It got so bad that even their traditional rulers fled the communities.

“Those areas you mentioned as ‘no-go-areas’, we have Forward Operating Bases (FOB) there. We have in Osumoghu, Ukpor, and Ul, and those are aimed at ensuring we stem encroachment from Imo. These measures have been effective and that is why the rest of the state has been safe, because the routes through which they come have been stopped. Our police special forces are there, army is there, police is there, anti-terrorist unit is also there,” Adeoye said.

“Attacks have been checked to a reasonable extent. They plant landmines around those camps and also use rocket-propelled grenade launchers. These are war materials and we are not at war. Federal government has exercised a lot of restraint in dealing with the problem, and I will advise the insurgents not to push their luck so far because patience has a limit; he said…..CONTINUE READING