By Izunna Okafor, Awka
The ongoing offensive against criminal strongholds in Anambra State has recorded another success, as a joint security force on Thursday dismantled a notorious hideout of armed hoodlums in Agulu-Ezechukwu, Aguata Local Government Area, after a protracted seven-hour gun duel.
According to the Police Public Relations Officer of the State, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the coordinated raid, which was carried out in the early hours of June 5, 2025, involved a coalition of security agencies comprising the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Army, Navy, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and operatives of the Anambra Vigilante Group.
He said in the heat of the fierce exchange, one of the suspected criminals was also neutralized, while others fled with varying degrees of gunshot wounds. The operation, described as strategic and intelligence-driven, further culminated in the destruction of the makeshift camp which served as a base for suspected criminal elements terrorizing parts of the state.
Upon clearing the scene, operatives recovered a number of stolen and suspicious items, including an ash-coloured Toyota Sienna with registration number EKY 03 FF, an unregistered white Mazda Hilux, one motorcycle, and various household and personal effects such as mattresses, cooking utensils, groceries, gallons, mechanical tools, and clothing materials. These discoveries suggest the camp was not only a criminal hub but also served as a temporary residence for the occupants.
Fresh bloodstains were also spotted around the scene, an indication that some of the fleeing suspects sustained injuries during the confrontation. As at press time, security operatives had extended the manhunt to nearby areas in a bid to track down the fleeing criminals and bring them to justice.
According to SP Ikenga, the successful raid was part of the sustained onslaught against violent criminal groups operating in the state, further adding that security forces remain on high alert and would not relent in their mission to completely rid the state of criminal enclaves.
This latest operation follows a string of recent security breakthroughs in Anambra, where similar camps have been discovered, overrun, and dismantled across various locations.
More photos from the scene:
