The Anambra State Police Command has arrested four men for allegedly plotting to murder a Nigerian man and subsequently take over his landed properties in the state. The suspects were apprehended following a coordinated operation by police operatives and local security personnel.
Arrests Made in Ukwulu and Amichi
Tochukwu Ikenga, the police spokesman in Anambra State, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday. Mr Ikenga, a superintendent of police, said the incident occurred in Ukwulu, a community in Dunukofia Local Government Area of the state. The suspects were arrested at different locations in Ukwulu and Amichi, another community in the council area.
The police uncovered the alleged murder plot following what Mr Ikenga described as “strategic intelligence emplacement” by the Commissioner of Police in the state, Nnanna Oji. The breakthrough was recorded on the evening of 12th August 2026, when operatives of the Rapid Response Squad, Awkuzu, in collaboration with Agunechemba security personnel attached to Amichi, Nnewi, acted on credible intelligence and swiftly disrupted the alleged criminal plot.
Suspects Identified and Firearms Recovered
The operation led to the arrest of four suspects identified as Obiora Nwankwo, 38; Chiadikobi Okoye, 36; Emmanuel Mboko, 42; and Ifeanyi Obi, 37 years – all males. During the operation to disrupt the plot, two firearms and live ammunition were also recovered from the suspects.
The police spokesman did not disclose the identity of the victim. He said preliminary investigation indicates that the suspects were allegedly linked to a plot to murder a citizen and subsequently take over his landed properties.
Investigation Ongoing
“The Command is, however, conducting a thorough investigation to establish the full circumstances surrounding the alleged conspiracy, identify other persons who may be connected to the plot and determine the specific roles played by each suspect,” Mr Ikenga said.
“The suspects are currently in police custody and will be made to face the full weight of the law upon the conclusion of investigations.” The police commissioner stressed that the feat demonstrates the importance of the Command’s renewed intelligence-led policing strategy, which is designed to detect criminal threats early, disrupt planned attacks and prevent the loss of lives and property.
Legal Implications for Attempted Murder
Attempted murder is outlawed in Section 320 of the Nigeria Criminal Code Act. Offenders, on conviction, face life imprisonment, according to the section. For Anambra State, attempted murder is expressly a criminal offence under the Criminal Code Law of Anambra State, Cap. 36, Vol. 2, 1991, which considers the offence as a felony. Section 275 (a) of the Criminal Code Law prescribes the same life imprisonment for offenders upon conviction.
Several Nigerians have been convicted for attempted murder in Anambra State and elsewhere. Last month, a state high court in Ogidi, Anambra State, sentenced a man, Chibuike Joseph, to life imprisonment for stabbing a man in 2017. The convict was charged and sentenced under the Criminal Code, Cap. 36, Vol. II, Laws of Anambra State, 1991. Similarly, an Ekiti State High Court, Ado Ekiti Division, in 2024, sentenced a 43-year-old man, Akinyemi Ojo, to life imprisonment over a murder attempt on a woman in the farm.
The suspects remain in police custody as investigations continue, and they will face prosecution upon conclusion of the inquiry.
