Police Arrest 12 Suspects, Rescue 3 Victims Unhurt In Imo
Operatives of the Imo State Police Command, under the leadership of Commissioner of Police Audu Garba Bosso, have apprehended 12 individuals suspected of involvement in kidnapping, murder, cultism, and other violent crimes.
The spokesperson for the command, Deputy Superintendent of Police Henry Okoye, disclosed this information in a statement issued to the media on Wednesday.
Okoye further indicated that the operatives successfully rescued three kidnapping victims unharmed and recovered several items, including one AK-47 rifle, two locally made double-barrel guns, four locally made pistols, two live cartridges, one blue Toyota Highlander SUV without a registration number, one ash-colored Mercedes-Benz GLK Jeep with registration number YAB 831 DQ, three Q-Link motorcycles, one Sumec generating set, and eight branded cult caps.
According to him, following the abduction of five passengers from a commuter bus along Obokofia Road in Egbema and the subsequent kidnapping of a young man in New Owerri on June 27, 2026, the Command initiated a coordinated intelligence-led operation to rescue the victims and apprehend the perpetrators.
Acting on credible intelligence, operatives of the Command, in collaboration with personnel from the Egbema Police Division, raided a suspected kidnappers’ hideout in Obokofia, Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area, on June 30, 2026, successfully rescuing three victims unharmed and arresting seven suspected gang members. Other members of the syndicate fled the scene and are currently being pursued.
The suspects have been identified as Eric John, alias “Yahoo Welder,” (30) from Ughelli South Local Government Area, Delta State, residing in Obokofia, Ohaji/Egbema LGA; Light Chukwuma (18); Obinna Osuamma (18); Sylvester Nnadike (60); Tochukwu Precious (22); Destiny Albert (22); and Caroline Oziomele (25), all from Obokofia, Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area.
Items recovered during the operation include one AK-47 rifle, two locally made double-barrel guns, two locally made pistols, one blue Toyota Highlander SUV without a registration number, one ash-colored Mercedes-Benz GLK Jeep belonging to one of the rescued victims, three Q-Link motorcycles, one Sumec generator set, and eight branded cult caps.
Investigations revealed that one of the rescued victims identified Eric John, alias “Yahoo Welder,” as a member of the gang responsible for his abduction. Further investigation disclosed that the gang had extorted ₦5 million from the victim’s relatives and subsequently demanded an additional ₦50 million ransom before the victim was rescued during the police operation.
In a separate intelligence-led operation conducted on June 21, 2026, operatives of the Imo State Police Command arrested five suspected members of the Senior Vikings Confraternity (SVC) while they were engaged in cult-related activities at Okuku in Owerri West Local Government Area.
The suspects are Iwuagwu Innocent Chigozie (26) from Owu Amakohia, Ikeduru Local Government Area; Okparaugo Kingsley (32) from Ogbusisi, Umuguma, Owerri West Local Government Area; Uchenna Daniel Akagha (23) from Uborji, Okuku, Owerri West Local Government Area; Nsubechi Ekezie (25) from Umuchiezie, Ahaizu Mbaise Local Government Area; and Nwaneri Chigemezue (28).
During interrogation, the suspects confessed to participating in a cult initiation ceremony held on May 24, 2026, at Umuome, Umuguma, Owerri West Local Government Area, during which an unidentified man was allegedly beaten to death.
Acting on this information, operatives visited the scene and recovered the decomposed body. Follow-up operations at the suspects’ hideouts also led to the recovery of two locally made pistols and two live cartridges. The investigation is ongoing to establish the identity of the deceased and apprehend other fleeing members of the group.
