A joint security team in Anambra State has killed four suspected members of an armed separatist group and recovered a cache of weapons, ammunition, explosives, vehicles and other items during an operation in Orumba South Local Government Area.
The Anambra State Police Command said the suspects were neutralised on Tuesday evening following an armed confrontation with operatives conducting a routine patrol along the Ogboji–Ajalli Road.
The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday, describing the operation as a major breakthrough in ongoing efforts to combat violent crime and armed groups operating in parts of the state.
According to Ikenga, the operation was carried out by a police-led Joint Security Patrol Team under the Aguata Sector after intelligence reports indicated the movement of heavily armed individuals suspected to be members of a separatist armed group.
“The operation was carried out during a visibility and confidence-building patrol following credible intelligence gathered over time concerning the movement of heavily armed suspected members of a secessionist armed group operating in the area,” he said.
He explained that security operatives engaged the suspects in a gun battle, resulting in the deaths of four members of the group.
Items recovered from the scene included a General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) loaded with 53 rounds of linked live ammunition, two AK-47 rifles, two magazines, 29 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, 13 rounds of 5.56mm ammunition and four undetonated Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).
Other exhibits recovered were police camouflage uniforms and accessories, a white Toyota Sienna bus with Lagos registration number KJA 919 KH, 10 Android phones, two feature phones, a laptop computer, a Point-of-Sale (POS) machine, two power banks, assorted charms, two live cartridges, ATM cards, a National Identification Card and a driver’s licence belonging to identified individuals.
Ikenga said preliminary investigations indicated that several other members of the group escaped into nearby bushes with varying degrees of gunshot injuries.
“Consequently, the Joint Security Team has intensified operations in the area, including extensive combing and search efforts to apprehend the fleeing suspects and recover additional weapons and operational equipment,” he stated.
The police spokesperson reiterated the command’s commitment to sustaining intelligence-led operations in collaboration with other security agencies to combat criminal activities across the state.
“The Anambra State Police Command remains committed, in collaboration with other security agencies, to proactive and results-driven operations aimed at ensuring the safety and security of residents across the state,” Ikenga added.
