The Anambra State Police Command has rescued two kidnap victims, arrested three suspects, and recovered 14 pump-action guns during a series of operations across the state.
Police spokesperson SP Tochukwu Ikenga announced the developments in a statement from Awka on Saturday.
He said the operations were part of heightened security measures put in place to ensure safety during Easter and beyond.
In one of the operations, police officers rescued two kidnapped individuals, arrested a suspected cultist, and recovered seven pump-action guns along with other weapons, including seven live cartridges, three handcuffs, a cutlass, an axe, and a dagger.
On April 18, a joint team from the Uli Police Division and local vigilantes rescued two kidnap victims in Ihiala.
The victims had been abducted days earlier, on April 13, in Amorka Village, Uli, by armed men who ambushed them on the Onitsha-Owerri Expressway.
The assailants transferred the victims into another vehicle, abandoning the original car, which was later recovered by police.
Efforts to track down the fleeing suspects are ongoing.
In a separate operation, officers from the Fegge Division in Onitsha intercepted a parked bus along Port Harcourt Road, Upper Iweka.
A search of the vehicle revealed five pump-action guns, eight live cartridges, and two handcuffs hidden in a bag of rice.
Investigations are underway to identify those involved.
On April 17, the Rapid Response Squad, acting on a tip-off, arrested a 25-year-old man on Ezeigwe Street, Nkpor. Two pump-action guns, two cartridges, and several sharp weapons were found in his possession.
The suspect, who confessed to being a member of the Vikings Confraternity, is currently assisting the police with their investigation.
Anambra State Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, urged residents to remain vigilant and law-abiding.
He encouraged the public to embrace the values of humility and selflessness during Easter and to pray for peace and security across the state and the country.