UMUAHIA — The Abia State Police Command has intensified its crackdown on criminal hideouts across the state, arresting 31 suspects and destroying several camps allegedly used for drug bunkering and other criminal activities during coordinated operations in Umuahia.
The Command said the operation was carried out in line with the directive of the Commissioner of Police, CP Danladi Isa, who instructed strategic officers to sustain clearance operations and raids on criminal enclaves across the state.
According to the police, operatives attached to the Central Police Station (CPS), Umuahia, working in collaboration with community vigilantes, conducted intelligence-led raids on identified black spots around the Mission Hill/New Road axis, popularly known as “Down Below.”
The area was described as a secluded valley stretching into the bush and allegedly serving as a hideout for criminal elements. Another location at Amuzukwu, which police said had become notorious for drug bunkering and sheltering criminals, was also raided.
During the operation, police arrested 30 male suspects aged between 22 and 46 years and one female suspect. Officers also recovered various substances suspected to be illicit hard drugs.
The Command disclosed that on July 1, 2026, operatives returned to the same locations based on fresh intelligence and discovered several huts, tents and makeshift camps allegedly used by criminal syndicates for hiding and selling illicit drugs.
Police said approximately eight tents and camps, constructed with baboon sticks and tarpaulin materials, were destroyed and burnt during the operation in a bid to dismantle the criminal networks and disrupt their activities.
The Command confirmed that all 31 suspects have been charged to court and remanded in a correctional facility pending further legal proceedings.
Reacting to the operation, Commissioner of Police Danladi Isa reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to combating crime and ensuring the safety of residents across the state.
He said the police would continue to review and implement improved operational strategies to take the fight directly to criminal hideouts and maintain zero tolerance for crime and criminality in Abia State.
The latest operation forms part of the Abia State Police Command’s ongoing campaign to dismantle criminal networks, curb drug-related offences and reclaim areas identified as safe havens for criminals.
