The Anambra State Police Command has recovered two locally fabricated pistols and three caps bearing an inscription linked to the Vikings Confraternity from an abandoned motorcycle in Awka North Local Government Area.

The command’s spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said in a statement that the items were recovered by operatives of the command’s Violent Crime Response Unit during a routine patrol along the Isuaniocha Bridge on Thursday.

According to him, the officers sighted two young men riding a black Sanyang motorcycle without a registration number. The riders suddenly made a reckless turn after spotting the police team, prompting the officers to pursue them.

“The Anambra State Police Command has recorded another significant feat during a routine patrol operation with operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit. During the operation, the team recovered two fabricated pistols and three caps bearing an inscription associated with a secret cult from an abandoned motorcycle in Awka North Local Government Area,” the statement said.

“The suspects, on sighting the Police team, suddenly and recklessly turned the motorcycle in an apparent attempt to evade the operatives. The suspicious action prompted the officers to give them a hot chase.

“During the pursuit, the suspects fell from the motorcycle and abandoned it, together with two slippers and a bag, before fleeing into a nearby bush. A search of the abandoned bag subsequently led to the recovery of two fabricated pistols and three caps bearing an inscription associated with the Vikings Confraternity.”

Ikenga said efforts were ongoing to arrest the fleeing suspects and establish their identities, affiliations and the circumstances surrounding the possession of the recovered items.

Enugu State Police Command has arrested and paraded 14 kidnap suspects involved in various kidnap operations in and outside the state.

Briefing journalists at the Command’s headquarters in Enugu on Friday, the Commissioner of Police, Enugu State, Mamman Bitrus Giwa, said among them were two remaining suspects linked to the August 2 kidnapping raid on St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Affa, Udi LGA of the state, who fled to Port Harcourt following the operational pressure mounted by joint security operatives.

“Further intelligence-led operations by the Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Violent Crime Response Unit (AK-VCRU) led to the arrest of two additional male suspects linked to the Affa Church kidnapping. Preliminary investigation reveals that, after fleeing Enugu, the suspects regrouped with their cohorts in Port Harcourt and abducted another victim, who was released after a ransom of N5m was paid,” he said.

CP Giwa noted that all the 14 suspects were arrested on various dates in June, July and August 2026 in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and Enugu, Kogi, Nasarawa, Rivers, Kwara and Taraba States.

The suspects had also confessed to involvement in several recent and past kidnapping incidents along the Enugu–Ugwuogo–Opi–Nsukka Road, Obioma–9th Mile–Umulumgbe–Okpatu Road, Eke–Affa–Egede–Ezinze axis, and various locations in Ezeagu LGA.

“Specifically, preliminary investigation has linked the suspects to the following armed kidnapping incidents: the abduction of a male victim at Mgbabuowa/Aguobuowa, Ezeagu LGA, on 25th May, 2026, during which N5m was obtained as ransom; the abduction of two male victims and the shooting and murder of a female victim at Obioma, Udi LGA, on 9th May, 2026, during which the gang obtained $28,700 as ransom; the abduction of two male victims along the Eke–Ezinze Road, Udi LGA, on 10th April, 2026, for which $70,000 was obtained as ransom; and the kidnapping of seven victims at Obinaofia, Ezeagu LGA, on 12th April, 2026, during which N25m was obtained as ransom,” he explained.

The CP revealed that the suspects, who were members of an organised criminal network operating from different parts of the country, usually came into the state to plan and execute kidnapping operations before disappearing to their respective locations.

“The network is aided by an Enugu-based member who operates a tricycle and provides transportation for the gang members, their firearms and other criminal implements to and from operational locations. Another Enugu-based member provides intelligence that enables the gang to evade security surveillance and identify suitable targets and locations,” he added.

According to Giwa, investigation revealed that the suspects laundered and concealed proceeds of their criminal activities through investments in livestock and different properties, and engaged in lavish spending as well as leisure and trips to foreign nations such as Cameroon.

He said the Command was still conducting more investigations to establish the suspects’ involvement in other kidnapping and violent-crime incidents within and outside Enugu State, identify and arrest other members of the syndicate, and recover additional firearms, ammunition and other criminal proceeds.

“Upon conclusion of investigation, the suspects will be charged to court in accordance with extant laws’” he added.

The police command also displayed five AK-47 rifles, two pump-action guns, one locally fabricated firearm, 310 rounds of live 7.62 x 39mm ammunition, eight live cartridges, and seven empty AK-47 magazines recovered from the suspects.

CP Giwa credited the successes recorded by the Enugu Police Command to the availability of state-of-the-art security infrastructure, effectiveness of sustained intelligence gathering, ICT-enabled investigation, inter-agency collaboration, inter-state cooperation and coordinated operational policing adopted by the Command.

He commended Governor Peter Mbah and the Inspector General of Police for their leadership and support in ensuring security and order in Enugu State.

“I would also like to express my profound gratitude to Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, for his for-looking leadership and for making the state safe.

“I equally commend other security agencies for their collaborative support, while also thanking members of the public for their continued cooperation,” he concluded.

The CP reiterated police’s readiness to make Enugu State increasingly unconducive to unrepentant local criminals, criminal elements seeking to infiltrate the State, commending Governor Peter Mbah and IGP Disu for their strategic leadership and support.

Meanwhile, one of the suspects, confessed his crime to journalists, saying his gang operated along the stretch of Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway and earned multimillion naira in ransoms before they were bursted by security forces.

Five of the 14 passengers kidnapped along the Ankpechi–Omutele axis of Ohimini Local Government Area of Benue State have been rescued by security operatives.

The victims were travelling in a passenger bus from Enugu to Abuja when they were intercepted by suspected kidnappers on the night of August 13.

The Benue State Police Command spokesperson, DSP Aondongu Orchia, confirmed the development in a statement issued on Friday in Makurdi.

According to Orchia, the police immediately mobilised and launched a coordinated operation following the abduction.

He said the operation resulted in a gun battle with the suspected kidnappers, during which five of the victims were successfully freed.

Among those rescued was a four-year-old boy.

Orchia disclosed that 14 passengers were abducted during the incident, leaving nine others still in the custody of the kidnappers.

He added that security personnel were continuing operations aimed at locating and safely rescuing the remaining victims.

One of the rescued passengers sustained a gunshot injury during the confrontation and was subsequently taken to a medical facility in Otukpo for treatment.

The Commissioner of Police in Benue State, CP Cletus Nwadiogbu, assured the victims’ families and members of the public that the command was making concerted efforts to secure the release of those still being held.

He appealed to residents of the affected communities to remain calm and vigilant, urging them to provide security agencies with credible information that could support the ongoing rescue operation.

The police command said further details would be released as more information becomes available.