How Police in Imo Recovered Three Stolen Vehicles in Owerri, Arrest Suspected Criminals

How Police in Imo Recovered Three Stolen Vehicles in Owerri, Arrest Suspected Criminals

It was a big haul for the Nigerian Police, Imo State Command who not only recovered stolen vehicles but also apprehended suspects involved in the matter.

DSP Henry Okoye, the State Command spokesperson in a statement available to Trumpeta said

“The Imo State Police Command has intensified its fight against crime, recording a major breakthrough with the arrest of thirty suspects involved in various offences ranging from armed robbery and vehicle theft to cultism and unlawful possession of firearms. The arrests were achieved through coordinated efforts of the Command’s Quick Intervention Team (QIT) and Rapid Response Squad (RRS) during a series of targeted operations across the state.

DSP Okoye informed that “the operations led to the recovery of three stolen vehicles alongside arms and ammunition. One of the highlights of the operation occurred on November 7, 2025, when armed robbers snatched a Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 with registration number ABC-10CG from its owner, Chukwuebuka, and his companions near Holy Family Catholic Hospital, Ikenegbu, Owerri.

“Promptly responding to a distress call, QIT operatives tracked the stolen car along the Okigwe Road axis and successfully recovered it by 10:30 p.m. One suspect, identified as Adamu Sani from Kachia LGA, Kaduna State, was apprehended. During interrogation, he confessed to the crime and revealed the identities of his accomplices — Abdullahi, Emmanuel, and Emeka — who are currently on the run.

“Further investigations led to the recovery of a black Toyota Hilux (registration number NEM-14AG), reportedly stolen from a hotel in Rivers State. The vehicle was found abandoned in New Owerri in the early hours of November 8, 2025. Similarly, a Toyota Venza snatched by gunmen in New Owerri on November 7 was later discovered abandoned along Yar’Adua Drive, near the Chosen Church.

“All recovered vehicles have been properly identified by their rightful owners, and efforts are underway to track down the remaining suspects,” Okoye confirmed.

“In another successful operation, the RRS team on stop-and-search duty along the Owerri–Aba Road intercepted two young men in a commercial vehicle heading into Owerri on November 2, 2025. A search led to the discovery of a locally made double-barrel gun and three live cartridges.

“The suspects — Uchechukwu Ahamefule (25) and Miracle Eberechi (28), both from Ogbu Umuorji in Osisioma, Abia State — admitted to being members of the Vikings/Bagar confraternity. They claimed to have seized the weapon from a rival cult group during a clash in Aba”

DSP Okoye added that investigations are ongoing to dismantle their wider network and bring their collaborators to justice.

In a related development, Commissioner of Police Aboki Danjuma has reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to ensuring safety and order in the state. He assured residents that proactive policing measures will continue, urging citizens to remain law-abiding and to provide credible information that could assist security agencies in sustaining peace and combating crime across Imo State.