According to information made available by the Abia State Police command, 30 male suspects aged between 22 and 46 years and 1 female suspect were apprehended, while various substances suspected to be illicit hard drugs were recovered during an operation at the dreaded criminal enclave, “Down Below”, and others.
DrumAfricanews reports that following the instruction of CP Danladi Isa, Abia police recently intensified raids on crime-prone zones, and the Mission Hill/New Road axis, Umuahia, in an area popularly known as “Down Below”, notoriously known for various crimes, was not left out.
The Abia police PPRO Maureen Chinaka, in her statement, described the Down Below as “an obscure area characterised by a deep valley stretching into the bush”.
According to her, another criminal hideout at Amuzukwu, Umuahia, known for drug bunkering and a refuge for criminals, was also successfully raided.
The coordinated raids were said to have been carried out by operatives of the Central Police Station (CPS Umuahia) in collaboration with community vigilantes, while leveraging actionable intelligence.
According to Chinaka, several huts and makeshift camps used as safe havens by criminals for concealment and sale of illicit drugs were identified.
According to her, about 8 tents and camps constructed with baboon sticks and tarpaulin materials were destroyed and burnt to ashes to dislodge the criminal syndicates and disrupt their activities.
The PPRO said that all the suspects have been charged to court and remanded at the correctional service.
“The Commissioner of Police, CP Danladi Isa, reaffirmed the command’s commitment to its constitutional duties and zero tolerance to crime and criminality.
“He assured that Abia State will remain unsafe for criminals and emphasised that the command will continue to review and implement improved operational strategies to ensure the continuous safety of all residents, as the fight against crime will be taken directly to the criminal enclaves.
“He further advised members of the public as partners in crime prevention to promptly report any security concerns by volunteering timely information to the nearest police station or through the command’s emergency hotlines: 08035415405, 08079210004, 08079210005, 08079210006,” Chinaka said.
