Police neutralize terrorist kingpins in Imo, recover ammunition
The Nigeria Police Force attached to the Imo State Police Command have neutralized three notorious kingpins of the Eastern Security Network (ESN) in a coordinated operation.
The operation, conducted on January 24, 2025, followed actionable intelligence that pinpointed a terrorist hideout in a forest within Ihube, Okigwe Local Government Area (LGA) of Imo State. Upon approaching the location, the police operatives came under heavy fire from suspected members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and ESN.
Demonstrating exceptional courage, the operatives engaged the attackers in a fierce gunfight, neutralizing six members of the group, including three identified kingpins:
Ifeanyi Anayo (a.k.a. Zuma De Rock, 28)
Chukwuemeka Odionyenfe (a.k.a. Nmimi, 22)
Kingsley Sunday (21)
The suspects, all natives of Ogube, Ihube in Okigwe LGA, were linked to several high-profile criminal activities, including:
The April 5, 2021, attack on the Owerri Correctional Center
The killing of five policemen in Umunna, Okigwe, on December 12, 2022
The February 8, 2022, burning of Arondizuogu Police Station
Multiple kidnappings, including those of WAEC staff (June 5, 2023), four reverend sisters (August 21, 2022), and four Chinese nationals (December 6, 2023)
During the operation, police recovered a cache of arms and other assets, including five AK-47 rifles, 552 rounds of live ammunition, Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), communication equipment, and eight operational motorcycles used by the group.
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, commended the operatives for their bravery and tactical execution.
He urged police personnel across the country to sustain the momentum and implement the Force’s action plan to reduce crime significantly in the first quarter of 2025.
