The Anambra State Police Command has arrested two suspects in possession of a six-round English-made pistol during a stop-and-search operation in Nnewi, Nnewi North Local Government Area of the state.

In a statement released on Sunday, the spokesman for the command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said the stop-and-search operation was conducted by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad, Nnewi Sector, and Police Mobile Force 54 on Saturday.

Ikenga added that the recovery was made when the joint team, while conducting visibility patrol within the Nnewi North metropolis, stopped the two suspects travelling on a Tiger 150 motorcycle without a registration number.

He gave their names as Ekwulugo Chiemierie Joseph, aged 33, and Enyiobi Geoffrey Somtochukwu, aged 29.

He said, “The recovery was made on the evening of September 26, when the joint team, while conducting visibility patrol within the Nnewi North metropolis, stopped two male persons travelling on a Tiger 150 motorcycle without a registration number.

“The men, identified as Ekwulugo Chiemierie Joseph, aged 33 years, and Enyiobi Geoffrey Somtochukwu, aged 29 years, were subjected to a search during which the firearm was recovered.

“They were immediately taken into custody and are currently assisting the Police with the ongoing investigation.

“The Command is working to establish how the suspects came to be in possession of the firearm, where it was obtained from and what it was intended to be used for.

“Investigators are also looking into other circumstances surrounding the recovery and whether there are any further links that may assist the investigation.”

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Nnanna Oji Ama, said the recovery demonstrated the importance of maintaining police visibility and conducting well-coordinated stop-and-search operations as part of the command’s intelligence-led and community-based policing strategy.

According to the commissioner, such operations are particularly important in identifying and disrupting the movement of firearms and other dangerous weapons that could be used to facilitate violent crimes.

He assured residents of Nnewi and Ndi Anambra that the command would continue to sustain proactive patrols, intelligence-led operations and strategic stop-and-search activities across the state.

The commissioner also called on members of the public to remain vigilant and promptly provide the police with credible information concerning suspicious persons, movements or activities within their communities.