Anambra Police Nab 65-Year-Old With Over 1,000 Rounds of Ammunition

Police operatives in Anambra State have arrested a 65-year-old man, Akpan Godwin, after he was found in possession of more than 1,000 rounds of live ammunition in Onitsha.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the development in a statement issued on Saturday. He said Godwin was intercepted on Friday at Nkpor, near Onitsha, by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad attached to Akwuzu.

“Police operatives acting on credible intelligence arrested one Akpan Godwin ‘m’, aged 65 years, in possession of 1,100 rounds of live ammunition,” Ikenga stated.

The police spokesperson further explained that during questioning, the suspect admitted to being involved in the illegal sale of ammunition and provided information about others connected to the trade. “Meanwhile, the operatives have stepped up the investigation and manhunt to uncover and apprehend all accomplices,” Ikenga added.

Ikenga assured that ongoing investigations are aimed at breaking the wider supply chain of arms in the state. According to him, the operation is part of sustained efforts to clamp down on gun-running networks fueling insecurity in Anambra.

The state has in recent years witnessed increased security challenges from gunmen, with the proliferation of firearms linked to armed robbery, kidnappings, cult clashes, and attacks by non-state actors.

In the past month alone, the Anambra State Police Command has announced multiple breakthroughs, including the arrest of arms smuggling syndicates in Onitsha and Obosi. On Friday, police also recovered vandalised high-tension cables, transformer parts, and locally made weapons in another operation, during which four suspects were arrested while one suspect died after sustaining gunshot injuries while attempting to flee.