AWKA — A fierce gun battle in the early hours of Saturday has left six suspected members of an armed criminal gang dead following a joint security operation in the dense palm forests of Amiyi, Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State.
The operation, which commenced at dawn on August 22, involved a coordinated team comprising the Nigeria Police Force Rapid Response Squad from Awkuzu, operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), the 302 Artillery Regiment from Onitsha, Nigerian Navy personnel from Ogbaru, and local Agunachamba vigilantes.
According to a statement from the Anambra State Police Command, the security forces acted on actionable intelligence, trekking for approximately four hours through arduous and hostile terrain to locate a camp believed to be a haven for the criminal syndicate.
Police spokesperson stated that the suspects engaged the operatives with gunfire upon sighting them, sparking a prolonged firefight. At the conclusion of the exchange, six members of the gang were neutralised, while others fled into the surrounding forest with what authorities believe to be gunshot wounds.
Recovered from the dismantled camp were two pump-action shotguns and an assortment of charms. Several structures identified as belonging to the group were subsequently razed.
However, the operation was marred by tragedy when an explosive device, suspected to have been pre-planted in the area, detonated during the mop-up phase. The blast claimed the life of one security operative and left another injured. The wounded officer is currently receiving medical attention in a hospital.
In response to the operation, the Commissioner of Police for Anambra State, CP Nnanna Oji Ama, lauded the courage, resilience, and professionalism displayed by the personnel and community vigilantes. He emphasised that the successful operation underscored the critical importance of inter-agency collaboration and intelligence sharing in dismantling violent criminal networks.
CP Oji Ama extended his profound condolences to the family, colleagues, and associates of the fallen operative, while wishing the injured personnel a swift and full recovery.
Reassuring the public, the Commissioner vowed that the Command, alongside sister security agencies, would sustain intelligence-led offensives to root out criminal camps, recover illegal firearms, and prevent violent groups from establishing a foothold in any part of the state.
He appealed to residents to remain vigilant and to provide timely and credible information to security agencies, stressing that community cooperation remained the bedrock of sustainable peace and security in Anambra State.
