Residents React as Police Nab Woman Linked to Okada Rider Robbery Scheme in Ihiala

Residents and commercial motorcycle operators in Ihiala, Anambra State, have commended the police for tracking down and arresting a woman accused of luring riders to locations where they were robbed of their motorcycles and personal belongings.

On Tuesday, March 24, the Anambra State Police Command announced the arrest of a five-member criminal gang, including a female suspect, allegedly involved in deceiving commercial motorcyclists and leading them into isolated areas for robbery operations within Ihiala.
The development was disclosed in a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, who said operatives of the Rapid Response Squad, Awkuzu, carried out the early morning operation. The raid led to the arrest of the suspects and the recovery of a firearm, stolen motorcycles, and other incriminating items.
The suspects were identified as Sunday Chukwudebele (22), Adaobi Udeze (26), Chimezie Ifebi (35), Kelvin Chukwuejike (28), and Uzi Chukwuejike Williams Umeh (26).
According to the police spokesman, the gang had been operating within Ihiala and nearby communities, targeting commercial motorcyclists, popularly known as Okada riders. Preliminary investigations revealed that the female suspect, Adaobi, played a central role by posing as a passenger. She would lure unsuspecting riders to remote routes and hideouts where other gang members would ambush them and dispossess them of their motorcycles and valuables.
He added that this strategy enabled the group to carry out multiple robbery operations before their eventual arrest.

The suspects are currently in police custody and will be charged in court after investigations are concluded. The command also reaffirmed its commitment to ongoing security operations aimed at protecting lives and property across the state.

When a Legit.ng correspondent visited the Total axis of Ihiala on Wednesday, March 25, residents expressed satisfaction with the arrests and urged the police to intensify efforts to apprehend other criminals operating in the area.

A resident, Chigozie Iwuchi, described the operation as remarkable, noting that the gang had operated for a long time without being caught. He praised the Rapid Response Squad for their efforts and urged sustained action.

“This is the kind of effort expected from the police. When they act like this, we can truly say the police are our friends. This kind of organised crime has been going on for years without any trace. Sometimes, riders who are lured into the bush don’t return, and others are reported missing,” he said.

He also commended the Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, while calling for increased surveillance to eliminate such criminal activities in the state.

A commercial motorcycle operator, John Onwe, described the suspects as “terrors of Okada riders in Ihiala” and expressed relief over their arrest. He recounted his own experience of being attacked after picking up a passenger who led him to a secluded area where he was assaulted and robbed.

“I was lucky they didn’t take my motorcycle or kill me,” he said, adding that such incidents happen frequently in the area.

Another rider, Izundu Chimezie, also welcomed the development, revealing that some of his colleagues had lost motorcycles to similar criminal tactics. He urged the police to continue their crackdown on such gangs.

A local trader, Mrs. Ntomchukwu, advised the police to collaborate with local vigilante groups familiar with the terrain to improve surveillance and effectively tackle crime. She noted that relying solely on the police could limit the effectiveness of security efforts.

Meanwhile, in a separate development, the Nando community in Anambra State has rejected allegations by the police linking its indigenes to the killing of three Cameroonian nationals.

The Police Command had earlier reported the arrest of four suspects, including a shrine chief, in connection with the incident.

Reacting, the President General of the Nando Development Union, Chief Okechukwu Uwadiegwu, described the claim as false and an attempt to damage the community’s reputation.