The Enugu State Police Command has arrested a 25-year-old suspect for allegedly being in unlawful possession of a firearm during a sustained border security operation along the Enugu–Onitsha Expressway.
The arrest was made under the Nigeria Police Force’s “Handshake Patrol” initiative, which is aimed at strengthening security across state borders and curbing the movement of illegal arms.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Daniel Ndukwe, disclosed the development in a statement issued on Monday and made available to DAILY GAZETTE.
According to the statement, the suspect, identified as Ogbonna Nnaji, was apprehended in early July 2026 by operatives of the Command’s Distress Response Squad (DRS) during a stop-and-search operation at Ugwuoba in Oji River Local Government Area, near the Enugu–Anambra boundary.
The police said a concealed locally made double-barrel pistol was recovered from the suspect during a thorough search.
Preliminary investigations revealed that Nnaji had boarded a commercial Toyota Sienna bus from Solution Park in Ekwulobia, Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State, and was travelling to Enugu when he was intercepted by the operatives.
The Command stated that investigations are ongoing to determine the origin of the firearm and establish whether the suspect has links to other criminal activities.
He will be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.
The latest arrest comes just four days after the same DRS operatives recorded another breakthrough during a border security operation on June 28, 2026, when they intercepted a tricycle rider and recovered another firearm.
The police noted that the successive recoveries reflect the Command’s commitment to intelligence-driven policing, proactive crime prevention and efforts to stop the influx of illegal weapons into Enugu State.
Commending the operatives for their professionalism and vigilance, the Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa, reaffirmed the Command’s determination to sustain robust border security operations across the state.
He also urged residents to remain vigilant and continue supporting the police with credible and timely information to enhance the fight against crime and criminality in Enugu State.
