Police raid kidnappers’ den, arrest 7 suspects, recover 4 corpses in Imo forest

Imo State Police Command officers raided the suspected kidnappers’ hideout in Okohia Forest in the state’s Owerri West government area on Monday.

The Imo State Police Commissioner, CP Aboki Danjuma, who led the operation, revealed this to reporters in Owerri during a raid on the forest in collaboration with the Association of Nigeria Hunters Association and Imo State Vigilante Service.

He stated that it was in response to a distress call from people in the region that hoodlums and kidnappers were exploiting the Okohia woodland to hide their victims and carry out their illegal activities.

The Okohia forest is located and related to the communities of Obinze, Avu, Ihiagwa, and Ohaji/Egbema council area in Imo state.

According to the Imo Commissioner of Police, “The Command under my watch will continue the raid across all suspected criminal hideouts in the state, until the men of the underworld are completely wiped out from the state.

“We want to reassure Imo residents at large of their safety, the command will never relent in its commitment to guarantee adequate security in the state.

He noted that; “There was an information that men of the underworld, that is the hoodlums kidnap from the town, bring their victims to this forest, demand for ransom, either paid or not paid, they kill them. Just this morning, we have recovered about four unidentified corpses as well as other items.”

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“We are going to dominate our operations in this forest and by his grace, all the hoodlums, all the kidnappers will be cleared. As you have seen, we have arrested about seven persons this morning and the are going to face the full wrath of the law.”

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It should be recalled that Owerri west council area of Imo state residents have called on the security agencies to beef up security surveillance in their areas.

A resident of Avu in Owerri West council area of Imo state, identified as Chief Uba, said: “We call on the government and security agencies to exercise maximum surveillance on the places like the Obinze, Oforola, Ihiagwa, in Owerri West Council Area of Imo state. Umuokanne in Ohaji/Egbema council area of Imo state, there is also need for the security agencies to focus on towards the boundaries between the Owerri North council area and Ngor Okpala council area of Imo state.

“There is need for extension and expansion of military and police checking points in these area that i have mentioned.”

A landlord in Ihiagwa area who did not want his name to be mentioned in print, said: “I could not go to my site. I have stopped construction because of the threat of kidnapping. You hear several stories everyday about criminal activities. We are scared. We need protection.”

As of last Sunday, another video went viral, showing a young man being treated in one of the hospitals (name withheld) along Old road Nekede in Owerri west council area of Imo state.

It was gathered that; “The man was attacked in the bush area of Nekede in the Owerri west council area of Imo state. The man was attacked with a cutlass. They attackers inflicted deep cut around the neck, elbow and his head.”

One of the the residents an indigene of Owerri West council area, in Avu, pledged to continue to help the police with the information that can end the activities of the kidnappers in the area.

He pleaded not to mention his name for security reasons, he said: “Our community members are ready to work with the police to give them information. We are happy with this raid. We need more presence of the security in our area. They have tried. I want to commend them. We want them to add more efforts.”