Reported by Ariajegbe Sylvia Esezobor
The Anambra State Police Command has arrested a 27 year old ex-convict, Chidera Anthony Eleh, popularly known as Timaya, over his alleged involvement in a series of motorcycle-assisted robberies targeting Point of Sale operators and other unsuspecting victims in Awka, the state capital, in an operation that police said formed part of sustained intelligence-led efforts to dismantle criminal gangs operating across the state.
According to a press statement released on Friday, October 9, 2026, by the Spokesman for the Anambra State Police Command, Superintendent of Police Tochukwu Ikenga, the suspect was arrested in the afternoon of October 9 during an intelligence-led operation. “The Anambra State Police Command in the afternoon of October 9, 2026 arrested a 27-year-old ex-convict, Chidera Eleh popularly known as ‘Timaya’, over his alleged involvement in a series of motorcycle-assisted robberies targeting Point-of-Sale operators and other unsuspecting victims in Awka, the State capital,” Ikenga said. He added that the arrest formed part of the Command’s sustained intelligence-led efforts to track down criminal elements involved in motorcycle enabled robberies and other related offences across the state.
During the operation, police operatives recovered one motorcycle, one axe, one cutlass, and other incriminating items suspected to be connected to the alleged criminal activities. Ikenga said the suspect is currently in police custody as investigations continue to establish the full extent of his alleged involvement and identify other accomplices. “Further developments shall be communicated as the weekend patrol commences,” he said, signalling that the police intended to sustain the pressure on criminal networks through the weekend and beyond.
The arrest followed growing concern over the activities of motorcycle-borne robbery gangs targeting POS operators in Awka and other parts of Anambra State. POS operators have become increasingly vulnerable to armed robbery because they handle large volumes of cash and often operate from small, open kiosks that offer little protection. The use of motorcycles allows assailants to approach quickly, execute the robbery and escape through narrow streets and alleys where police vehicles cannot easily follow. The pattern has been documented across several states, but Anambra has emerged as a particular hotspot, with a series of incidents reported in recent months. SaharaReporters had on Monday, October 5, 2026, published a video where CCTV captured armed robbers raiding POS operators in broad daylight in Awka. The video, which circulated widely on social media, showed the attackers arriving on motorcycles, brandishing weapons and forcing the operators to hand over cash and valuables before fleeing the scene. The publication of the footage intensified public pressure on the police to act, and the arrest of Eleh came four days later.
The Commissioner of Police, Anambra State Command, CP Nnanna Ama, reiterated the Command’s commitment to protecting lives and property and ensuring that perpetrators of criminal activities are brought to justice in accordance with the law. He urged members of the public, particularly POS operators, commercial motorcycle riders and other business owners, to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious movements or criminal activities to the nearest police station. The Commissioner’s appeal reflects the Command’s consistent emphasis on community cooperation as a critical component of its crime-fighting strategy, particularly in cases involving armed robbery where timely information can mean the difference between an arrest and an escape.
The arrest of an ex-convict in connection with the robberies underscores the challenge of recidivism in Nigeria’s criminal justice system. Eleh had previously been convicted and served a prison term before his alleged return to criminal activity. The pattern is not unique to Anambra State. In January 2021, the Anambra State Police Command arrested two ex-convicts who had been released from a correctional centre only two months earlier and had resumed armed robbery operations. The recurring nature of such cases raises questions about the effectiveness of rehabilitation programmes in Nigerian correctional facilities and the support systems available to released inmates to prevent them from returning to crime. The absence of structured post-release programmes, employment opportunities and community reintegration support means that many ex-convicts return to the environments and networks that led to their initial convictions.
The political context of the arrest is significant. The 2027 general elections are less than four months away, with the presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for January 16, and the governorship and state assembly elections for February 6. Security has emerged as a central issue in the campaign, alongside the cost of living and the economy. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is seeking a second term on the All Progressives Congress platform, while former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress, former Anambra Governor Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde of the Allied Peoples Movement are among the major challengers. Anambra State, as the home state of Obi, occupies a unique position in the political landscape, and the conduct of the state police command will be closely scrutinised as the elections approach. The Command has consistently maintained that it is apolitical and focused on its constitutional responsibilities, and the arrest of Eleh is presented as part of that commitment to public safety.
For POS operators in Awka and across Anambra State, the arrest represents a measure of reassurance that the police are responding to the threat that has made their businesses increasingly dangerous. For the suspect, the investigation will determine the full extent of his alleged involvement and whether he will face prosecution. He is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction. For the police, the case is another test of their ability to translate intelligence into arrests and to sustain the momentum of their operations against criminal networks. As Ikenga put it, further developments shall be communicated as the weekend patrol commences, and the Command remains committed to protecting lives and property and ensuring that those who threaten the peace of Anambra communities are brought to justice.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments