The Anambra State Police Command says a police-led Joint Security Patrol Team has neutralised four suspected members of an armed gang during an operation in Orumba South Local Government Area of the state.
The operation took place on the evening of Monday, June 23, 2026, along the Ogboji–Ajalli Road, following intelligence on the movement of suspected members of a secessionist armed group.
According to the police, the security team engaged the suspects in a gun battle, leading to the death of four members of the gang, while others reportedly escaped into nearby bushes with gunshot wounds.
Items recovered from the scene include one General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) loaded with 53 rounds of linked live ammunition, two AK-47 rifles, two magazines, 29 rounds of 7.62 x 39mm ammunition, 13 rounds of 5.56mm ammunition, and four undetonated Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).
The operatives also recovered police camouflage uniforms and accessories, a white Toyota Sienna bus with Lagos registration number KJA 919 KH, ten Android phones, two feature phones, one laptop, a Point-of-Sale (POS) machine, two power banks, assorted charms, two live cartridges, ATM cards, a National Identification Card, and a driver's licence belonging to identified individuals.
Police said the operation was part of an ongoing visibility and confidence-building patrol driven by credible intelligence gathered over time on the activities of the suspected armed group.
Speaking on the operation, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Anambra State Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said efforts were underway to track down the fleeing suspects.
"Preliminary investigations indicate that other members of the gang fled into the surrounding bushes with varying degrees of gunshot injuries. Consequently, the Joint Security Team has intensified its operations in the area, including extensive combing and search efforts to apprehend the fleeing suspects and recover additional weapons and operational equipment," Ikenga said.
He reaffirmed the command's commitment to tackling violent crime across the state.
"The Anambra State Police Command reiterates its unwavering commitment, in collaboration with other security agencies, to sustaining proactive, intelligence-led, and results-oriented operations against criminal elements that threaten the peace, safety, and security of residents across the state," he added.
The police said investigations are ongoing.
