THE Anambra State Police Command has dealt a significant blow to organised crime with the arrest of two suspected members of a notorious kidnapping gang allegedly behind multiple abduction and armed robbery operations across the state.
The suspects, identified as Dauda Mohamed, 38, and Umar Ali, 50 – also known as “Barjini” – were apprehended following sustained intelligence gathering and painstaking investigations by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad based in Awkuzu.
Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed the breakthrough in a statement issued in Awka on Saturday, August 1, 2026.
How the Arrests Unfolded
According to Ikenga, Mohamed was arrested in the early hours of July 27, 2026, acting on credible intelligence regarding the criminal network’s activities. During interrogation, the suspect allegedly confessed to participating in multiple kidnapping operations in Anambra State and identified Ali as the syndicate’s leader.
Ali, the police spokesman said, was allegedly responsible for coordinating logistics and supplying operational weapons to members of the gang. Two other suspects, identified only as Usman and Gongola, remain at large.
Link to ₦15 Million Ransom
Investigations have directly linked the syndicate to the kidnapping of a victim at Divine Heritage Lodge in Ukwulu, Dunukofia Local Government Area, on June 26, 2026. Armed hoodlums reportedly 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 in ransom, but following negotiations, the victim’s family allegedly paid ₦15 million. The victim regained freedom after four harrowing days in captivity.
North-West to South-East Connection
In a worrying development, Ikenga disclosed that preliminary investigations indicate members of the syndicate allegedly relocated from armed bandit enclaves in the North-West and established criminal operations in parts of the South-East. The gang reportedly used an AK-47 rifle, said to have been supplied by its leader, to execute its operations.
Acting swiftly on information obtained during interrogation, operatives extended their operation to Ugwuoba Gariki in Enugu State, where they successfully arrested Ali, Ikenga added.
Police Vow to Sustain Momentum
The Command said investigations are ongoing to uncover other members of the syndicate and dismantle their operational network entirely. Ikenga assured residents of Anambra that the police remain committed to denying criminals safe havens in the state.
He said the force would sustain proactive operations, strengthen intelligence gathering and collaborate with other security agencies to dismantle criminal networks operating within and outside the state.
The police spokesman also appealed to residents to support 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,” Ikenga added.
