A joint security team comprising personnel of the Nigerian Army, the Anambra State Police Command, and the Agunechemba Security Squad on Monday launched a coordinated operation in Ndiukwuenu Community, Orumba North Local Government Area, following Sunday’s attack on the Chief of Staff to Governor Chukwuma Soludo, Chief Ben Nwankwo.
The operation was led by the Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, CP Ikioye Orutugu, who visited the community alongside other security operatives to assess the situation and intensify efforts to apprehend those responsible for the attack.
According to findings, the death toll from the incident has risen to four, including two police officers and two civilians who were accompanying the Chief of Staff at the time of the attack.
The Agunechemba Security Squad disclosed that preliminary investigations indicate the attackers operate from Awka, the State capital, using a white jeep to carry out attacks in neighbouring communities before retreating to their base.
As part of ongoing efforts to track down the suspects, the Councillor representing Ndiukwuenu Ward, the community’s President-General, and the Vice President-General have been enlisted to support security agencies in the manhunt.
Security operatives took control of strategic locations within the community and conducted extensive searches of surrounding bushes and suspected hideouts. During the operation, one suspect allegedly dressed in police camouflage was arrested.
Further investigations suggest that the gunmen may have established a new operational base in the area after being dislodged from Ufuma and nearby communities during previous security operations.
Authorities also discovered that some residents were aware of the activities of the criminal group but were reluctant to provide information due to fear of possible reprisals.
Speaking during the operation, CP Orutugu criticized local community leaders for allegedly failing to promptly alert security agencies about suspicious activities in the area. He urged them to work closely with the Command’s Rapid Response Squad (RRS) to ensure those behind the attack are identified and prosecuted.
The Publicity Secretary of the Agunechemba Security Squad, Mr. Nweke Nweke, said intelligence gathered by the outfit indicates that the attackers are not residents of the affected communities.
“We have monitored their activities closely and can confirm that they come from Awka, carry out attacks in nearby communities, and retreat afterward,” he said.
According to him, increased security pressure within Awka has forced the criminals to shift their operations to surrounding communities. He added that joint patrols and intelligence-sharing among security agencies have yielded significant progress in the investigation.
Nweke further noted that information provided by residents has been instrumental in advancing intelligence-gathering efforts and narrowing down the search for the suspects.
Meanwhile, the Anambra State Commissioner for Information, Dr. Law Mefor, assured residents that the government remains committed to bringing the perpetrators to justice.
Describing the incident as an attack on the peace and security of Anambra State, Mefor expressed condolences to the families of the victims and reaffirmed the government’s determination to eradicate criminality across the State.
“This was not merely an attack on an individual but an assault on the peace, security, and democratic order of Anambra State,” he stated.
He emphasized that security agencies are working tirelessly to identify and apprehend everyone connected to the attack, adding that the incident would not derail ongoing efforts to sustain peace and security in the State.
This version is cleaner, more professional, and suitable for publication in newspapers, online news platforms, or press releases.
