The security operatives, which comprised the police and vigilante personnel, engaged in the shootout when they responded to a distress call about the planned activities of armed robbery in Anambra State.

Combined security operatives have killed a suspected member of an armed robbery gang in Anambra State, Nigeria's South-east.

Tochukwu Ikenga, the police spokesperson in Anambra State, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday.

Mr Ikenga, a superintendent of police, said the suspect was killed during a shootout between the combined security operatives and the armed robbery gang.

He said the shootout occurred at about 10:30 a.m. on Friday along Nkwo Enugu Ukwu Road in the Njikoka Local Government Area of the state.

The spokesperson said the operatives, which comprised the police and vigilante personnel, engaged in the shootout when they responded to a distress call about the planned activities of the gang in the area.

"The operatives engaged the criminals and subdued them in a gun duel, while some of the gang members escaped with bullet wounds. The operatives have further sustained security dominance in the area and activated an onslaught of operations against the fleeing gang members," he said.

Mr Ikenga said the police in Anambra urged residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities in their area to the police for action.

He said the police recovered one AK-47 rifle, two magazines and five rounds of live ammunition during the operation.