Onitsha Police Area Command Arrests Over 80 Suspected Criminals... As Commercial Town Loses N1.5b - HURIJE

Anambra Police Commissioner

The Onitsha Police Area Command in a bid to eliminate criminal elements intimidating and extorting people in Onitsha, the Anambra State commercial nerve centre have arrested over 80 hoodlums in the commercial town.

The the clamp down on the hoodlums, said a competent Police source commenced a fortnight ago and was being led by the Onitsha Area Command,Mr. John Obuagbaka, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP).

The arrests, according to our source, has shown the effort of the Area Commander to sanitize Onitsha of hoodlums who have vowed to make the  commercial city uncomfortable for the residents and visitors.



As s result of this effort, the leadership of Human Rights, Liberty Access and Defenders Foundation (HURIJE) led by its Chairman, Dede Uzor A.Uzor, had commended the Area Commander and encouraged him not to relent in the war against thuggery and intimidation by hoodlums who have  vowed to make Onitsha residents and their customers not to sleep with their two eyes closed.

Dede Uzor said the ongoing war against extortion and all forms of criminalities has once again restored the lost glory of the commercial town.

He lamented that the traders and their customers in the last six months had lost about N1.5b to extortionists in the commercial town.

The HURIJE chairman commended Governor Willie Obiano, the Divisional Police Officer (DPOs), in Onitsha Area Command and the DSS for their contribution in sanitising  Onitsha.

He however, urged them not to relent in their efforts but to redouble their efforts to checkmate the new crime wave in the area especially 'one chance' in which a lot of people have fallen victims.

"The one chance robbers have made life very unbearable to the residents, traders and their customers alike. Some have been killed. They operate from Head bridge -Upper Iweka,-Nkpor up to Ogbunike toll gate.

Dede Uzor also said Owerri road by  Aba park is another area the police should focus their attention because of the  high crime rate there, saying that the place is the den of handsets and bag snatching robbers and pick -,pockets.