From Ifeoma Ejiofor
Operatives of the Inspector-General of Police’s Violent Crime Response Unit under the Rapid Response Squad(RRS) Awkuzu, have recovered a large cache of sophisticated arms, ammunition, and explosive devices from a criminal camp in Owerre-Ezukala, Orumba South LGA of Anambra State.
The operation, led by CSP Orebe Chidubem Mathew, was carried out on 6 May 2026 following intelligence gathered from a suspect already in custody, identified as Nnamdi Nkemdilim Ogbonna, 37, who is alleged to be a top commander of a proscribed secessionist group.
The Police Public Relations Officer(PPRO) for Anambra Command, Tochukwu Ikenga(SP) said the recovery included one General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) with about 2,000 rounds of live chain ammunition, two fabricated rocket launchers with 25 propellers, ten locally made Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), one locally made Beretta pistol, two pump-action guns, three hand grenades, ten rounds of K2 live ammunition, one gas cylinder, and a black Ecolac box.
The PPRO said the camp had earlier been destroyed by a Joint Security Team, but intelligence later indicated that fleeing suspects were attempting to regroup in the area. Operatives reportedly engaged the suspects in a gun duel, overpowering them and forcing others to flee with varying degrees of bullet injuries.
Investigations according Ikenga, further revealed that the suspect in custody allegedly confessed to involvement in several violent attacks in Anambra State, including assaults on police facilities, the killing of security personnel from the Police, Military, and Civil Defence Corps, attacks on government installations, and ambushes on officers during stop-and-search operations.
Meanwhile, the Anambra State Commissioner of Police, Ikioye Orutugu(CP) has pointed out that the establishment of the Violent Crime Response Unit has strengthened ongoing offensive operations against armed criminal groups in the state.