The Imo State Police Command has made a major breakthrough in the recent killing of five policemen and two civilians in Ngor-Okpala LGA of the state. The Command has arrested nine hoodlums suspected to be members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its militia affiliate, Eastern Security Network (ESN).
The suspects were arrested at their hideout in Itu, Ezinihitte-Mbaise, following a tip-off received by the Police. According to the Police spokesperson, the Command dispatched its Tactical Team led by SP Odeyeyiwa Oladimeji, who arrested one Mathew Chukwuma aged 48 from Mpam, Ahiazu-Mbaise LGA of Imo State, at his hideout at Umuahia, Abia State.
After interrogating Chukwuma, he confessed to be the Sector Command of the dreaded IPOB/ESN syndicate in Mbaise and assisted the Police in arresting three of his members, namely Ojoko Ikechukwu, Chilaka Charles, and Anthony Iwu, who all confessed to being members of the dreaded IPOB/ESN syndicate terrorizing the good people of Imo state.
Further investigations by the Police led to the arrest of another four suspected members of the proscribed separatist group at their second hideout in Itu, Ezinihitte-Mbaise LGA of Imo state. The suspects are famous on the Command’s wanted list, due to their nefarious activities.
The notorious criminal syndicates engaged the operatives of the Police in a fierce gun duel but were overpowered by the super firepower of the combat-ready tactical squad which forced them to surrender all their weapons. Several ammunition were recovered, including one cut-to-size AK47 rifle, one hundred and ninety rounds of live 7.62 mm ammunition, two AK47 magazines, two cut-to-size double barrel guns, one locally fabricated Beretta pistol, three pump-action guns, two single-barrel locally made guns, one locally made pistol, one cut-to-size gun, 50 rounds of 7.66mm live ammunition, thirty-eight rounds of live cartridges, two AK47 magazines, two locally made explosive devices, one iPhone, one H-mobile, walkie-talkie, three cow horns painted with Biafran insignia, two Biafran Jewish caps, Jewish flag, large quantity of weeds suspected to be cannabis sativa and some fetish objects.
The Imo state Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Barde, appealed to Imo people to join hands with the Police and other security agencies in the crusade against terrorism and always report any suspicious activity or treatment of gunshot injuries at any hospitals through the Command’s emergency lines. The Command promised to expedite more action towards arresting other fleeing members of the syndicate and make them face the law
