Imo Police Foil Kidnappers, Recover Decomposed Body in Owerri-West Operation

The Imo State Police Command has achieved a major breakthrough in its fight against kidnapping and violent crime with the dismantling of suspected kidnappers’ hideouts in Okuku and Ndegwu communities, Owerri-West Local Government Area.

According to a statement from the command’s spokesperson, DSP Henry Okoye, operatives from the Police Anti-Kidnapping Unit, working alongside local vigilante groups, carried out an intelligence-led operation on November 5 that led to the discovery of concealed criminal hideouts in the area.

The operation, coordinated by ACP Oladimeji Odeyeyiwa, resulted in the recovery of a decomposed body from one of the hideouts located in an abandoned livestock farm deep within the Okuku–Agwa forest. The site was immediately cordoned off, and the remains were evacuated by police operatives and taken to the morgue for further forensic examination.

DSP Okoye stated that forensic samples have been collected and will undergo DNA testing to determine if they match those of Barrister Jeffery Ucheagwu, a resident of Ihembosi who was abducted on October 14, 2025, at Site and Services, Umuguma, Owerri-West LGA.

He added that the dislodged hideouts are now under 24-hour surveillance to prevent regrouping by the criminals and to facilitate further intelligence gathering. The police command remains committed to apprehending the gang responsible for the abduction and ensuring the safe rescue of Barrister Ucheagwu if he is still alive.

“We are leaving no stone unturned to dismantle criminal networks in the state and guarantee the safety of our citizens,” DSP Okoye said.

This operation underscores the Imo State Police Command’s intensified efforts to combat kidnapping and violent crimes, signaling a robust approach to ensuring security across the state.