Enugu Police Arrest 5,895 Suspects, Rescue 168 Kidnap Victims In One Year — CP Giwa
By Trek Africa Newspaper
The Enugu State Police Command has arrested a total of 5,895 suspects for various crimes and rescued 168 kidnapped victims within the past one year, the Commissioner of Police, Mamman Bitrus Giwa, has disclosed.
Giwa made this known on Wednesday during a press briefing held at the State Command Headquarters in GRA, Enugu, to mark his one year in office as Commissioner of Police in the state.
The police chief said that since assuming duty on March 11, 2025, the Command had prioritised professionalism, discipline, proactive policing, and people-friendly policing, which have guided its operational strategies.
According to him, officers who violated professional standards were subjected to appropriate disciplinary actions, stressing that the Command remains committed to ethical policing and respect for citizens’ rights in line with the vision of the Inspector-General of Police.
“We live in a time when it is totally unthinkable and unacceptable not to put the people first and serve them in the manner they rightfully deserve,” he said.
Major operational breakthroughs
Highlighting some of the Command’s recent operations, Giwa said security operatives successfully rescued 12 kidnapped victims on March 6, 2026, from a forest in Ette Community, Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area, following a joint operation involving the police, military, Forest Guards and neighbourhood watch operatives.
Three suspects linked to the abduction were subsequently arrested, while police recovered a pump-action gun, a locally fabricated revolver, a live cartridge, military camouflage items and other materials used by the gang.
In another operation on February 27, 2026, police operatives attached to the Unity Division arrested five suspected kidnappers along the Ugwuogo–Opi–Nsukka Road in Enugu East Local Government Area. The suspects reportedly confessed to involvement in several kidnapping and armed robbery incidents in the area.
The police also rescued a kidnapped clergyman during a bush-combing operation on January 29, 2026, in forests bordering Benue State. One suspect was neutralised during a gun battle, while an AK-47 rifle, 20 rounds of live ammunition and other items were recovered.
Similarly, a kidnapping attempt along the Adani–Nsukka Road on January 18, 2026, was foiled after a gun duel between police operatives and suspects, leading to the neutralisation of one suspect and recovery of an AK-47 rifle and ammunition.
Overall, the Command recorded the arrest of 129 suspected kidnappers and the rescue of 168 victims within the past year.
Arrests for rape, defilement
Giwa further disclosed that 39 suspects were arrested for rape and defilement during the period under review.
Among the cases highlighted was the arrest of an 18-year-old suspect, Chinedu Nkasiobi, who allegedly raped a woman after gaining entry into her house through the ceiling in Alulu-Nike area of Enugu.
In another case, a 30-year-old suspect, Ikenna Ekesi, was arrested for allegedly defiling and impregnating his 12-year-old ward in Awgu Local Government Area.
Police also arrested a 45-year-old man, Eugene Obinna Ikeche, for alleged incest after his teenage daughter accused him of repeatedly abusing her and her younger sister.
Cultism and drug-related arrests
The Commissioner revealed that 210 suspects were arrested for cultism and illicit drug trafficking during the period.
He said police operatives on March 8, 2026, disrupted a cult initiation linked to the Black Axe confraternity in a forest in Udenu Local Government Area, leading to the arrest of 13 suspects.
Items recovered during the operation included locally made firearms, cartridges, axes, knives, three vehicles, a tricycle, 45 motorcycles, mobile phones and a laptop.
Police also recovered large quantities of illicit drugs, including cannabis variants, tramadol and methamphetamine, while maintaining close collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to tackle drug trafficking.
Crime statistics
Providing a breakdown of arrests within the year, the Commissioner said:
148 suspects were arrested for armed robbery
129 suspects for kidnapping
158 suspects for murder
48 suspects for unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition
39 suspects for rape or defilement
210 suspects for cultism and drug-related offences
5,163 suspects for other crimes including theft, vandalism, fraud and human trafficking
He added that police recovered 105 firearms, including 22 AK-47 rifles and one G-3 rifle, 665 rounds of ammunition, and 118 stolen or abandoned vehicles during various operations.
Prosecution and security operations
Giwa said the Command prosecuted 1,248 criminal cases, with 237 convictions, while 368 cases remain under investigation.
He noted that the police also ensured adequate security during several major events in the state, including the 2025 Nigerian Bar Association Annual General Conference, the South East Vision 2050 Stakeholders Forum, the 2026 Legal Week, and the Zion Movement Outreach Crusade, as well as the Christmas and New Year celebrations.
Commitment to improved security
The Commissioner expressed appreciation to the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, and the Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, for their support.
He also commended other security agencies, neighbourhood watch groups and residents for providing intelligence that aided police operations.
Giwa reassured residents of the Command’s continued commitment to tackling crime and urged community leaders, civil society groups, and the media to sustain their support for security efforts in the state.
“We remain unwavering in our commitment to making Enugu State peaceful and safe for all,” he said.
