Police in Enugu State foiled two separate criminal operations on May 30, 2026, killing one suspect in each incident and recovering firearms and ammunition. The first incident occurred along the Nowas–Abakpa Road axis, where police responded to reports of an attempted kidnapping by a gang of five armed men. Officers from the Trans-Ekulu Division, working with the Neighbourhood Watch Group, engaged the suspects after they opened fire. One suspect was fatally shot and later pronounced dead at a hospital. From the scene, police recovered an AK-47 rifle, two magazines containing thirty rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition, and two mobile phones.
On the same day at 9:19 p.m., police were alerted to an armed home invasion at a residence in Owo Community, Nkanu East Local Government Area. Officers from the Amechi-Idodo Division and Neighbourhood Watch Group responded and were fired upon by the suspects. Police returned fire, neutralizing one suspect while others fled with gunshot injuries. A locally fabricated double-barreled pistol loaded with one live cartridge was recovered from the scene. A subsequent intelligence-led operation by the Anti-Kidnapping Sub-Unit of the Violent Crime Response Unit led to the recovery of a Beretta pistol linked to the criminal gang.
Three firearms were recovered in total: an AK-47 rifle, a Beretta pistol, and the locally made double-barreled pistol. Also recovered were two magazines with thirty rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, one live cartridge, and two mobile phones. Daniel Ndukwe, spokesperson for Enugu Police Command, confirmed both operations in a statement on Tuesday. He said efforts to apprehend the fleeing suspects and recover more items are ongoing. Investigations into the incidents continue. CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa, Commissioner of Police for Enugu State Command, praised the officers and Neighbourhood Watch members for their actions and urged the public to provide timely information to aid security efforts.
The police killed two suspects but could not prevent the crimes from occurring despite prior intelligence in one case, raising questions about response timing. The recovery of an AK-47 and a Beretta suggests access to sophisticated weapons by criminal gangs in the state. Residents of Nowas–Abakpa Road and Owo Community remain exposed to armed attacks even with active patrols. The commissioner's call for public cooperation rings hollow when lives are saved only after violence has already erupted.
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