Six Suspected Armed Group Members K!lled In Joint Security Operation In Anambra
Six Suspected Armed Group Members Killed In Joint Security Operation In Anambra
The operation was conducted in the early hours of Saturday, as part of ongoing intelligence-led efforts to dismantle criminal networks and violent groups operating across the state.
The Anambra State Police Command says six suspected members of an armed criminal group were killed during a joint security operation in Amiyi, Ogbaru Local Government Area of the state.
The operation was conducted in the early hours of Saturday, as part of ongoing intelligence-led efforts to dismantle criminal networks and violent groups operating across the state.
According to a statement issued on Sunday by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Ikenga Tochukwu, the operation was carried out by a joint team comprising personnel of the Nigeria Police Force’s Rapid Response Squad, Awkuzu; Department of State Services (DSS); 302 Artillery Regiment, Onitsha; Nigerian Navy personnel from Ogbaru; and Agunachamba operatives from the community.
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The security team, acting on intelligence, reportedly trekked for about four hours through difficult terrain and dense palm forest before reaching a camp suspected to be occupied by an armed criminal group.
The police said the suspects opened fire after sighting the operatives, leading to a prolonged exchange of gunfire.
“At the end of the encounter, six suspected members of the armed group were neutralized, while others fled the area, with some reportedly sustaining gunshot injuries,” the statement said.
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The operatives recovered two pump-action guns and charms from the camp, while structures and camps believed to be associated with the group were subsequently dismantled.
However, the operation also resulted in the death of one security operative and the injury of another after an explosive device suspected to have been planted in the area detonated.
The injured operative is currently receiving medical treatment in a hospital, according to the command.
The Commissioner of Police, Anambra State Command, CP Nnanna Oji Ama, commended the security personnel and community-based operatives for their courage and professionalism despite the difficult terrain and hostile environment.
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The CP described the operation as “a further demonstration of the importance of intelligence sharing, inter-agency cooperation and community support” in confronting violent criminal elements and disrupting their operational bases.
He also commiserated with the family, colleagues and associates of the deceased security operative and wished the injured operative a “speedy and full recovery.”
Ama assured residents that the command, in collaboration with other security agencies and relevant stakeholders, would sustain intelligence-led operations aimed at dismantling criminal camps, recovering illegal arms and preventing violent groups from establishing operational bases across the state.
The command urged residents to remain vigilant and provide timely and credible information to security agencies, stressing that community cooperation remained critical to maintaining peace and security in Anambra State.
