A major breakthrough has been recorded in the investigation of the brutal kidnapping and killing of Dozzman Oil & Gas Managing Director, Mazi Chidozie Confidence Chijioke, after operatives of the Abia State Police Command stormed a criminal hideout in Ikot Ukpon Village, Obot Akara LGA of Akwa Ibom State. The March 4, 2025 incident, which also claimed the lives of ASP Tanko Naptip of the Counter Terrorism Unit in Rivers and Mr. Anayo Ukwu, Director of Sobaz Oil & Gas, had sent shockwaves across the South-East oil and gas industry.
Acting on credible intelligence, police launched the raid at about 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, August 21, 2025, targeting the gang’s camp deep inside Obot Akara. Six suspects were initially captured, and a cache of weapons was seized, including two AK-47 rifles, 57 rounds of live ammunition, one locally made pistol, six magazines, and a bag of charms believed to be used for spiritual protection.
However, as officers were exiting the camp, heavily armed gang members attempted an ambush to free their captured colleagues. A fierce gun battle erupted, leaving the six arrested suspects fatally wounded while trying to escape. They were later confirmed dead en route to the hospital. Two police officers sustained gunshot injuries during the exchange and are currently receiving treatment.
Commissioner of Police, CP Danladi Isa, described the raid as “a decisive step in dismantling the kidnappers’ network terrorizing the Abia-Akwa Ibom corridor.” He assured that a full-scale manhunt was ongoing to track fleeing members of the syndicate, warning that “there will be no hiding place for criminals in Abia State.”
The brazen attack that claimed Chijioke’s life earlier this year was one of the deadliest targeted strikes against oil executives in Nigeria, sparking fears about the safety of business leaders in the South-East. Security experts say the latest breakthrough could calm nerves within the petroleum sector, but warned that other kidnapping cells remain active across the Niger Delta and adjoining states.
Residents have been urged to support ongoing security operations. The Police Command specifically appealed to the public to report anyone with unexplained bullet wounds or suspicious movements, either directly to nearby stations or through the state’s emergency hotlines. “Community intelligence is vital — criminals often hide among us,” CP Isa stressed.
The Abia State Police Command’s success adds momentum to nationwide anti-crime efforts targeting kidnapping gangs, oil theft syndicates, and terror cells. For families of the slain Dozzman and Sobaz executives, the development may not erase the pain of their loss, but it signals that justice, however delayed, is gradually catching up with those who thought they could kill and vanish.
