One Uchenna Okpara, 40 years old, has been arrested by the operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Imo State Police Command for allegedly stabbing his brother-in-law, Uchenna Unakalamba, to death following a family dispute.

The incident, according to a statement issued by the Command?s spokesman, DSP Henry Okoye, occurred in Ubomiri, Mbaitoli Council of the state, on Thursday, January 16, 2025.

Reports indicate that Okpara attacked Unakalamba with a broken bottle after the minor argument escalated and stabbed him with it.

Unakalamba was confirmed dead at a nearby hospital where he was rushed to, while the suspect was arrested.

Okoye said, ?Responding to a distress call, police operatives apprehended the suspect (Okpara) and recovered the weapon. The victim (Unakalamba) was confirmed dead at the hospital, and the suspect remains in custody pending the conclusion of investigations and subsequent prosecution.?

In a related development, Okoye further disclosed that the Command also dismantled a notorious kidnapping syndicate during an intelligence-led operation on January 16, 2025.

The operation, he said, ?took place in a forest near Agwa, Oguta Local Government Area, and led to the arrest of one suspect, Ozioma Dike, after an exchange of gunfire. Other members of the syndicate fled into the bushes.?

?Recovered from the suspect was a pump-action rifle loaded with seven live rounds of ammunition and an iPhone belonging to a victim who had been kidnapped on January 8, 2025, in Ubomiri, Mbaitoli Local Government Area.?

During interrogation, the suspect confessed to being part of a group responsible for several kidnappings in Ubomiri, Ogbaku, and Ohii communities within Mbaitoli LGA.

?Efforts are ongoing to apprehend the fleeing gang members while Dike remains in custody. He is expected to be arraigned in court after the conclusion of the investigation. The police have assured the public of their commitment to eradicating kidnapping and other criminal activities in the state.?

?The Commissioner of Police, Imo State Police Command, CP Aboki Danjuma, continues to intensify efforts to combat violent crimes and maintain peace and security across the state,? Okoye added. (The Guardian)

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