Maduako Igbokwe I Thursday, July 20, 2023
AWKA, Nigeria – Anambra Vigilante Group has arrested 12 persons suspected to be members of a gang of gunmen in Osumenyi Community, Nnewi South local government area.
The three suspects include a 37 year old nursing mother arrested for dealing in illicit drugs at Atani in Ogbaru local government area.
The arrest followed a reported plot to attack the community and burn down houses in the area less than twenty four hours before the plot could be hatched.
The security outfit recovered arms and matches from the suspects who confessed to have come from Umunankwo community in Ogbaru local government area and had marked some buildings and the security house in the community to be attacked.
According to the Spokesman of the security outfit who simply gave his name as Uchenna they acted when they got information of their plans.
“They have been operating from Umunankwo community in Ogbaru local government area and there was a plot to attack some people in Osumenyi and burn down houses of people they suspect have been sabotaging their deadly activities”
“One of them is on the run because of the raiding of their hideout in this town but we will still gets him ” he said
He said the gunmen have been working together with their colleagues in Nnewi South and Ogbaru local government area since the security challenges started in Anambra state.
He however said good networking of the vigilante between Ogbaru and Nnewi South led to the arrest of three suspects including a 37 year old nursing mother who deals in illicit drug.
According to him drugs ,have continue to fuel terrorism and other high level criminal activities in Atani, headquarters of Ogbaru local government area of Anambra State.
“Some of the gang members are currently on the run following raids on their hideouts by the security operatives working in collaboration with members of the Atani local vigilante group coordinated and led by the President General of the riverine Community Mr. Arinze Nzelu” he stated.
During the over three hours raid, he noted that large cache of illicit drugs including Indian Hemp were discovered from their operational bases, shrines and residents and farmlands in the area.
The President General of Atani Community Nzeli Arinze said: “The major insecurity challenge we have in the community is because of illicit drugs and our youths are behaving abnormally, they are stealing, robbing, abusing and disrupting activities of sand miners in Atani; we used to have about 20 pits (sand excavation sites) in Atani but now we have about five sites. And Sand mining is one of the major economic activities we have in Atani and we are no more benefitting from it because people are running away and so many visitors and tenants run away, you can see so many empty houses, no more tenants and activities are no more going on.”
Anambra Commissioner for Homeland Matters Chief Chikaodi Anara said attributed the success so far recorded to the product of the synergy between the respective communities and their local security operatives, noting that government would not relent in ensuring that miscreants and hoodlums are wiped out of the state.
“Security of lives and property is one of the first line charges of Gov Charles Soludo administration and what you have seen so far is the proactive measures and the synergy between the locals and the operatives in the area”
“We are on course and in due time these miscreants and hoodlums would be wiped out of our state” he assured.
