The Anambra State Police Command says it has arrested 200 suspects and secured 100 convictions for various crimes within the last seven months.
Commissioner of Police, Ikioye Orutugu, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Awka.
“The Command arrested 200 suspects for various crimes, including armed robbery, kidnapping, and cultism, among others, between February and August this year,” Orutugu said.
“The Command also secured 100 convictions within the period under review,” he added.
The CP revealed that the command recovered over 300 firearms, 1,000 rounds of ammunition, more than 30 vehicles, and 20 explosives from criminals across the state.
He described the re-arrest of a suspect in the high-profile kidnap and murder of Mr. Justice Azuka, the Labour Party lawmaker for Onitsha 1 Constituency, as a major highlight of the command’s recent operations.
According to Orutugu, the results reflect “a new level of operational effectiveness and commitment to law enforcement,” stressing that no perpetrator of violent crime would evade justice, no matter how long it took.
To curb kidnapping, he said the command inaugurated “Operation Zero Kidnapping” in collaboration with other security agencies, adding that the initiative had drastically reduced such incidents, restoring public confidence.
The police chief also disclosed that the command deployed Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) strategies to resolve communal conflicts, including mediating the long-standing boundary dispute between Ikenga and Isiokwe villages in Umueri and Aguleri.
“These efforts significantly helped to de-escalate tensions without resorting to violence,” he said.
To deepen community engagement, Orutugu said vigilance operatives across the state were trained on lawful conduct, crime scene management, and intelligence gathering.
He noted that the command successfully ensured a hitch-free visit by President Bola Tinubu on May 9, as well as a peaceful by-election on August 16.
On preparations for the forthcoming governorship election scheduled for November 8, Orutugu said: “We have done our homework with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). We are just waiting for Nov. 8.”
NAN reports that Orutugu assumed office as the 35th Commissioner of Police in Anambra on February 10.
