Police arrest 25-year-old suspected kidnapper in Anambra, recover three firearms

On August 27, 2026, the Anambra State Police Command apprehended a 25-year-old suspect, Emmanuel Mark, allegedly involved in armed robbery and kidnapping. The suspect, identified as Emmanuel Chekwube Mark, is believed to be part of a four-man criminal syndicate operating in the Ifite Awka area of Awka South Local Government Area.

According to the state police spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, Mark was captured by the Rapid Response Squad in Awkuzu following intelligence-led operations. Among the items seized during the operation were a locally-made pistol, two pump-action guns, and a military-pattern cap. The arrest marked a significant victory in the police's ongoing fight against violent crime.

Initial investigations revealed that Mark had conspired with other syndicate members, currently at large, to kidnap unsuspecting individuals and kidnap a victim on July 22, 2026, who was subsequently killed and dismembered. The suspect confessed to using a tricycle as a decoy to block victims, overpower them at gunpoint, and take them to their hideout in Umoji, Ebenebe, where they were tortured and robbed.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Nnanna Ama, has ordered a thorough investigation and intensified efforts to apprehend the remaining members of the syndicate.