Imo Police Arrest Suspected Kidnapper and Man for Fatal Stabbing

Babatunji Wusu –

• Kidnapper Arrested: Ozioma Dike, suspected of involvement in multiple kidnappings, was arrested during a police operation on January 16, 2025, in Oguta LGA.
• Recovered Items: Police seized a pump-action rifle, seven rounds of ammunition, and a victim’s iPhone during the operation.
• Fatal Stabbing: Uchenna Okpara, 40, was arrested for allegedly stabbing his father-in-law, Uchenna Unakalamba, to death following a dispute in Mbaitoli LGA.
• Police Commitment: The Imo State Police Command reaffirmed its commitment to eradicating kidnapping and other criminal activities in the state.

Imo State Police Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit made significant arrests on January 16, 2025, leading to the capture of Ozioma Dike, a suspected kidnapper, and the apprehension of Uchenna Okpara, who allegedly stabbed his father-in-law to death.

Dike was arrested following an intelligence-driven operation in Agwa, Oguta LGA, where police officers clashed with suspected kidnappers. The operation led to the recovery of a pump-action rifle, seven rounds of ammunition, and a victim’s iPhone, which had been taken during a kidnapping in Ubomiri, Mbaitoli LGA on January 8. Dike confessed to being part of a group responsible for several kidnappings in the area, and efforts are ongoing to apprehend other gang members.

In a separate incident, Uchenna Okpara, 40, was arrested for fatally stabbing his father-in-law, Uchenna Unakalamba, during a heated argument in Mbaitoli LGA. Police responded to the distress call, apprehended Okpara, and recovered the weapon used in the attack. Unakalamba was confirmed dead at the hospital, and Okpara remains in custody pending investigation and prosecution.

The Imo State Police Command assured the public of its ongoing efforts to combat kidnapping and other criminal activities in the region.