AWKA — The Anambra State Police Command has recorded a major breakthrough in its fight against kidnapping following the arrest of two suspected members of a notorious kidnapping syndicate allegedly linked to multiple abduction and armed robbery operations in the state.
The suspects, identified as Dauda Mohamed, 38, and Umar Ali, 50, also known as “Barjini,” were arrested following sustained intelligence gathering and painstaking investigations by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad, Awkuzu.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Anambra State Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed this in a statement issued in Awka on Saturday, August 1, 2026.
First Arrest and Confession
According to Ikenga, Mohamed was arrested in the early hours of July 27, 2026, following credible intelligence on the activities of the criminal network.
The suspect, during interrogation, allegedly confessed to participating in several kidnapping operations in Anambra State and identified Ali, popularly known as “Barjini,” as the leader of the syndicate.
Ali was allegedly responsible for coordinating logistics and supplying operational weapons to members of the gang, while two other suspects, identified as Usman and Gongola, remained at large.
Link to ₦15m Ransom
The police spokesman said investigations into the activities of the syndicate were directly linked to the kidnapping of a victim at Divine Heritage Lodge, Ukwulu, Dunukofia Local Government Area, on June 26, 2026.
According to him, armed hoodlums emerged from an uncompleted building behind the lodge, fired several shots and abducted the victim into a nearby bush.
The kidnappers initially demanded ₦30 million ransom, but after negotiations, the victim’s family allegedly paid ₦15 million, after which the victim regained freedom following four days in captivity.
North-West Connection
Ikenga further disclosed that preliminary investigations indicated that members of the syndicate allegedly relocated from armed bandit enclaves in the North-West and established criminal operations in parts of the South-East.
He said the gang allegedly used an AK-47 rifle, said to have been supplied by its leader, to execute kidnapping and armed robbery operations.
Second Arrest in Enugu
“Acting swiftly on information obtained during interrogation, operatives extended the operation to Ugwuoba Gariki, Enugu State, where they successfully arrested Umar Ali, also known as ‘Barjini’,” Ikenga stated.
The Command said investigations were ongoing to uncover other members of the syndicate and dismantle their operational network.
Police Appeal to Residents
Ikenga assured residents of Anambra that the Command remained committed to denying criminals safe havens in the state.
He said the police would sustain proactive operations, strengthen intelligence gathering and collaborate with other security agencies to dismantle criminal networks operating within and outside the state.
He also appealed to residents to support the security agencies by providing timely, credible and actionable information that could assist in preventing crime and apprehending criminal elements.
“As investigations continue, further updates will be communicated to the public in due course,” the police spokesman added.
