By Michael Chukwuebuka, Reporting
A live tortoise, assorted charms drugs and weapons were some items recovered when operatives of the Imo State Police Command stormed various camps of members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPoB) and its military arm, Eastern Security Network (ENS) in parts of the state.
Three suspected members of the groups were arrested and nine others arrested during a purported fierce battle between security agents and the separatist groups.
In a statement made available to journalists on Thursday, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), CSP Michael Abattam, while parading the suspects on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, CP Rabiu Hussaini, said the operation took place on February 7, 2022.
According to him, the raid was “In consonance with the mandate given to the officers and men of the Command by the Inspector General of Police, IGP ALKALI BABA USMAN to fish out all the terror groups, especially members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra ( IPOB ) and the Militia Wing of the Eastern Security Network (ESN ) with the aim of restoring normalcy to the state and in tandem with the determination and directives of the commissioner of Police, Imo Command, CP Rabiu Hussaini, psc to execute this mandate holistically .
“The Command’s tactical teams on 07/02/2022 at about 04:00 hours, after credible intelligence gathering and surveillance of some identified camps of the terror groups in the state, stormed, in a commando style, two identified terror Camps located in Okwudo in Njaba LGA of Imo State and Umuorji Mgbidi in Oru West LGA of Imo State respectively, engaging the hoodlums in a fierce gun battle and in the process, successfully dislodged them due to their number and superior fire-power .
“The hoodlums, who suffered heavy casualty in the process, lost three of their members while, nine others were arrested with various degrees of bullet wounds,” he enthused.
He identified the suspected rebels as Ekene Abiaziem age 31, Emmanuel Nwabueze, 58, Ifeanyi Eze 38, Izunna Chukwukezie 39, Ejike Onuabuike 44 and Chukwuebuka Elvis Nkonta, 27.
Others were Jerohm Amaiah, 33, Chukwuebuka Nwachukwu, 23, and Chimobi Ogbonna, 27, of Awomama.
The command said after combing the camps of the suspected insurgents, items recovered included three Automatic Pump Action guns, four locally-made pistols, 21 rounds of live cartridges, four locally-made Improvised Explosives Devices ( I.E.DS ), five cutlasses, five rounds of 7.62 mm live AK47 rifle ammunition, four rounds of 5.56 mm live Assault Rifle ammunition and a big rubber drum containing substances supected to be Indian hemp.
Others were some quantities of ice hard drugs suspected to be Mkpurumiri, four Biafran flags, several Biafran/MASSOB identity cards, three battle axes, four Biafran berets and assorted phones.
CSP Abattam further disclosed that further investigation was ongoing, while the three corpses have been deposited at the Federal Medical Centre Mortuary Owerri, lmo State.
He disclosed further that “in the course of investigation, it was revealed that these terror suspects were the ones that have been terrorising the good people of the state.
“And most of the reported cases of kidnappings and armed robberies were perpetrated by them.
“They have made useful statements and have volunteered to assisting the police in the arrest of members of their gang presently, on the run,” he posited.
CSP Abattam quoted CP Hussaini, as commending the officers and men for their gallantry and prompt action.
He urged them to intensify efforts in ensuring that the other suspects were arrested, appealing to communities and Vigilante groups to work in collaboration with the police credible information that will assist in the arrest of the fleeing suspects.
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