** suspect confesses to murder
By Florencemary Nwabueze
ANAMBRA— The Anambra State Police Command has dismantled a criminal network and arrest suspected member of a four-man armed robbery and kidnapping syndicate.
According to the commands public relations officer SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the suspect Emmanuel Chekwube Mark, 25, was taken into custody during an intelligence-led operation in the early hours of August 27, 2026, by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Awkuzu.
According to police authorities, items recovered from the suspect include one locally fabricated pistol, two pump-action guns, and a military-pattern face cap.
During interrogation, Mark reportedly confessed to being part of a criminal gang operating around the Ifite Awka axis. He allegedly disclosed that he and his accomplices — who remain at large — targeted unsuspecting members of the public in the area.
In a chilling revelation, the suspect confesses to his involvement in the kidnapping of a victim on July 22, 2026. According to his statement, the victim was stripped off valuables before being murdered, with his remains abandoned in a bush.
The syndicate's modus operandi, Mark allegedly explained, involves using a tricycle to block intended victims under the pretence that their vehicle had scratched or damaged the tricycle. The gang would then engage the victim in an argument, overpower them at gunpoint, and forcefully transport them to their hideout in Umoji, Ebenebe, where victims were tortured and robbed of their possessions.
Reacting to the incident, the Anambra State Commissioner of Police, Anambra, CP Nnanna Oji Ama, ordered a comprehensive investigation into the case and directed operatives to intensify efforts to apprehend the fleeing accomplices.
"The command assures the people of Anambra State that it will continue to sustain intelligence-led and proactive operations aimed at preventing and dismantling armed robbery, kidnapping and other violent criminal activities across the State" the statement reads