The Abia State Police Command has arrested 13 male suspects aged between 20 and 27 for alleged involvement in armed robbery, unlawful possession of firearms, and vandalism of government property.
The arrests were made through coordinated operations by the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) and divisional police stations across the state.
Police spokesperson DSP Maureen Chioma Chinaka confirmed the development in a statement issued on August 4, 2026. “The Command has continued to record significant successes in its kinetic and non-kinetic operational strategies in combating crime across the State, leveraging actionable intelligence,” she said.
Among those apprehended was Uchenna Agbneiwu, 27, a native of Nkume in Orlu LGA of Imo State, who was found in possession of a vandalised galvanised pipeline concealed in a bus. On August 2, operatives arrested Williams Ifeanyi, 27, in Aba after he allegedly robbed a victim at gunpoint.
A pistol and live cartridges were recovered. Similarly, on August 1, John Chigozie, 25, and David Anyaka, 26, were arrested in connection with a hotel robbery in Aba, with a pistol and ammunition seized.
On August 4, police intercepted a criminal group during a cult meeting in Umuezeagwu, Umuahia North, recovering a pump-action gun, a Beretta pistol, live cartridges, a cutlass, an axe, suspected hard drugs, walkie-talkies, a face mask, and berets.
DSP Chinaka reiterated the Command’s commitment to safeguarding lives and property. “We reiterate our dedication to the protection of lives and property, prevention and detection of crime, and the maintenance of law and order,” she stated.
She urged residents to support the police by providing timely information, adding, “Abians are encouraged, as partners in crime prevention, to provide timely information on security concerns to the nearest Police Station or through the Command’s emergency hotlines.”
The Command provided emergency hotlines for the public: 08035415405, 08079210004, 08079210005, and 08079210006.
