Anambra State Police Command on Thursday, said it has arrested three suspected members of the dreaded ‘Lion Squad’ terrorizing Ogwuaniocha community in Ogbaru Council Area of the state.
Recall that on the 14th of November last year, the traditional ruler of the Ogwuaniocha community, 71-year-old Igwe Oliver Nnaji, was abducted at his palace at Ogwuaniocha and had since remained in captivity.
Earlier this year, a son of the abducted monarch had accused the Lion Squad of being behind his father’s abduction, calling on Governor Willie Obiano to rescue his father from the captors.
The monarch’s son had also alleged that the kidnap of his father was not unconnected with the fight for resource control in the community.
Ogwuaniocha has been found to possess oil wells, with uncertified groups exploring the natural resource and taking the proceeds, without recourse to the state.
In a statement on Thursday, the Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, Tochukwu Ikenga said following ongoing efforts at implementing a robust security action plan by the State Commissioner of Police, CP Echeng Echeng, operatives of the command arrested the three persons suspected to be members of the gang.
“The Command Operatives at about 5am, on 14/10/2021, arrested 3 suspects, namely: Nnaji Ifeanyi ‘M’ 29yrs, Ummuna Osita ‘M’ 32yrs, and Egwuenu Somadina ‘M’ 17yrs, alleged to be members of a notorious criminal gang (The Lion Squad) terrorizing Ogwuaniocha Community in Ogbaru Local Government Area of the State,” he said.
He revealed that the operatives recovered one locally fabricated single barrel gun, seven live cartridges, one expended cartridge, charms, red beret, and a large quantity of substance suspected to be Cannabis Sativa.
Ikenga said the suspects were arrested in a follow-up on cases of violent crimes, involving armed robbery, arson, unlawful possession and proliferation of illegal weapons, saying they are already helping the police in their investigations and would be charged to court subsequently.
“The CP wishes to assure that there will be a thorough enforcement and implementation of security measures in the state and that the Command would continue to do all that is necessary towards evolving new pathways for containing prevailing and emerging security threats in the State,” Ikenga concluded.
Meanwhile, while the whereabouts of the abducted monarch is yet to be known, a community leader in the town has said reports they are getting show that the monarch has been killed.
The source who spoke on the condition of anonymity told Wazobia FM that they have it on credible intelligence that the king has been killed in captivity, although the information has not been made known.
“Although it is not official, we have cause to believe our monarch has been beheaded.
“Quite unfortunate,” he lamented.
