Imo Govt clears criminal hideouts

The Imo State Government has stepped up its crackdown on criminal activities in Owerri and its environs, demolishing shanties allegedly used as hideouts by pickpockets and robbers.

The operation comes in response to a surge in reported cases of bag-snatching, phone theft, and related crimes within the state capital.

Speaking to journalists, the governor’s Special Adviser on Monitoring and Compliance, Nze Chinasa Nwaneri, explained that the action was prompted by intelligence reports that some makeshift structures at Avu Junction, Owerri West LGA, which had previously been cleared, were quickly rebuilt and repurposed as criminal dens.

“On arrival, we met shanties that had earlier been demolished already back in use. These structures were being used again as criminal hideouts,” Nwaneri said.

According to reports, security operatives accompanying the enforcement team recovered arms and dangerous weapons, which were handed over to the authorities.

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The Avu Junction axis, located behind the correctional facility, has recently been flagged as a notorious hotspot where criminals converge.

Residents at the scene praised the government’s sustained efforts, describing the demolition as a welcome step toward improving community safety.

Nwaneri reaffirmed the administration’s zero-tolerance stance on crime, stressing that Governor Hope Uzodinma has directed that all criminal hideouts across the state be dismantled.

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He added that similar follow-up operations will soon take place at other identified black spots to ensure that criminals are permanently denied operational bases in the state.