Six members of a notorious criminal gang who had been wreaking havoc in the Eziowelle community in the Idemili North Local Government Area and its environs for some time were taken into custody by the Anambra State police over the weekend. Three pump-action rifles, one Barretta handgun, ammo, and other incriminating goods utilized in the gang’s deadly operations were discovered in their possession.
According to reports, the perpetrators were apprehended after the state’s commissioner of police, Echeng Echeng, learned about their local illegal activity.
Police sources claim that a notorious gang has been active in Eziowelle for a considerable amount of time, utilizing an unlawful vigilante organization to commit crimes like kidnapping, robbery, intimidation, and harassment of locals. The group is also charged with breaking into the residences of well-known locals, taking their belongings, raping female family members, and kidnapping people for ransom.
It is alleged that a prominent man in the neighborhood, who makes the claim to be a pastor, is in charge of the gang and has been committing these crimes with the assistance of some local officials. According to reports, these politicians assert that they will be protected by Anambra State and Abuja security services.
According to locals, the gang allegedly made the location so heated that many locals—both in Nigeria and abroad—fled for their lives out of fear that they would be kidnapped and held for ransom. Many of their victims had been taken hostage around midnight and taken to security agency offices, it was also found. They had been beaten, threatened, and coerced into giving up substantial sums of money.
Sources claim that the state’s commissioner of police, Echeng Echeng, instantly instructed Uche Noah, the state’s commander of the anti-cult unit, to jump into action and catch all of the criminals responsible for the heinous deeds.
Their efforts were successful when Uche Noah, in a raid described as “unprecedented in execution,” attacked the town and captured the culprits. Reports state that this occurred after they challenged the police squad and engaged them in a drawn-out gunfight.
The police were able to subdue them and capture six of their senior leaders, according to news reports, while the others managed to flee the area after suffering serious bullet wounds.
