Victor Ezeja
Anambra State Police Command has begun reorganisation of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) Unit located in Awkuzu, to boost the unit’s operational effectiveness in crime prevention and law enforcement.
The command also said the exercise will enhance accountability and transparency in justice dispensation.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe state Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, made this known when he received the state Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, at the RRS Unit (former SARS) Awkuzu, on Saturday, 22 February 2025.
The governor and the Police commissioner conducted a facility assessment of the RRS Unit.
According to a statement by the State Police Command spokesperson, Tochukwu Ikenga, the exercise was in line with the Command’s commitment to transparency, strengthening security operations, and enhancing collaboration with the Anambra State Government.
Ikenga said the reorganisation of the RRS unit embarked on by the commissioner of police includes the systematic interviewing of suspects in custody.
“This initiative aims to ensure proper accountability, uphold transparency, and reinforce the credibility of police investigations, thereby enhancing public trust in the criminal justice process.
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“The reorganisation of the Rapid Response Squad is designed to improve the unit’s operational effectiveness in crime prevention and law enforcement. By adopting a more structured and professional approach to handling suspects, the Command is poised to strengthen evidence gathering, facilitate successful prosecutions, and enhance overall security across the state,” Ikenga stated.
The statement added that during the visit, the police commissioner briefed the governor about the Command’s efforts to re-arrest fleeing suspects involved in the heinous murder of Hon. Justice Azuka, a member representing Onitsha 1 Constituency in the Anambra State House of Assembly.
The CP further outlined the proactive measures being implemented to prevent the recurrence of such incidents.
The statement added that the visit “underscores Governor Soludo’s unwavering commitment to ensuring the safety and security of all Anambra residents, as well as CP Orutugu’s dedication to professional policing, community engagement, and the maintenance of law and order.”
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Earlier in a press briefing on Friday, at the Police Command Headquarters in Awka, CP Orutugu had narrated how two suspected killers of Justice Azuka escaped from police custody in the state.
Orutugu said the police suffered “operational lapses” leading to the escape of the suspects identified as Ikemefuna Ossai from Delta State and Chinedu Okoli from Imo State.
According to the commissioner, the two suspects were assisting police operatives from the RRS Unit Awkuzu in arresting Tochukwu Akolisa, one of the victim’s stolen vehicle buyers.
He said that during the operation, Mr Akolisa attempted to flee upon sighting the operatives, who were accompanied by Ossai and Okoli.
“In the course of this operation, Tochukwu Akolisa was shot in the leg and taken into custody. However, in the ensuing confusion, the two suspects managed to escape in a vehicle.
“Despite an immediate pursuit by police operatives, they abandoned the vehicle and fled into a nearby bush. Unfortunately, all efforts to re-arrest them have so far been unsuccessful,” the CP stated.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with seven years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Master's degree in Mass Communication.
