Okoye further released the command’s phone lines: 08034773700 and 08098880197, for any emergency.
Police arrest IPOB members responsible for killings in Imo
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Police arrest IPOB members responsible for killings in Imo
Officers of the Nigerian Police Force have arrested nine members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) responsible for killings in Imo State.
The arrest came barely two weeks after gunmen attacked and killed four policemen in a restaurant in the Ngor Okpala area of the state.
Speaking on Sunday, the spokesman of Imo police command, ASP Henry Okoye confirmed that police officers also recovered arms and ammunition from the criminals’ hideouts.
Okoye said the arrests followed the state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mohammed Barde’s directive to
commence a detailed investigation and manhunt to unravel the perpetrators of the Ngor Okpala dastardly act.
“Acting on the CP’s directives, a detachment of the Command’s tactical team on April 24 at about 1730hrs after a diligent gathering of credible intelligence, arrested one Mathew Chuwkuma, 48 years, of Mpam Ahaizu Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State, in his hideout at Umuahia, Abia.
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“He confessed to being the Sector Commander of the proscribed and dreadful IPOB/Eastern Security Network (ESN) syndicate in Mbaise and assisted the curious operatives in arresting three of his syndicate,” Okoye said.
He listed the names of the suspects as Ojoko Ikechukwu, 53; Chilaka Charles, 44; and Anthony Iwu, 50, who were all arrested in their criminal hideout at Umuokiria, Ahaizu Mbaise Local Government Area of the state, while others escaped.
He said on searching the suspects and their hideout, incriminating items were recovered.
Okoye said one cut-to-size AK 47 rifle, 190 rounds of live 7.62 mm ammunition, two AK 47 magazines, two cut-to-size double barrel guns, and one locally fabricated Beretta pistol were recovered from the terrorist hideout.
“In the course of the investigation, the suspects all confessed to being members of the proscribed IPOB/ESN syndicate terrorizing the good people of Imo and had a hand in the recent killing of four Police officers and two civilians at Ngor Okpala.
“They volunteered crucial information that assisted the determined operatives on April 27 at about 1240hrs, in raiding their second hideout/shrine in Itu, Ezinitte Mbaise local government area of Imo which led to the arrest of four other notorious IPOB/ESN suspects famous on the command’s wanted list due to their nefarious activities.
“On sighting the operatives, the notorious criminal syndicate engaged them in a fierce gun duel but were overpowered by the super firepower of the combat-ready tactical squad which forced them to disarray and resulted in the arrest of four other suspects,” he stated.
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The police spokesman gave the names of the suspects as Ibe Demian, 50; Iwuala Simon, 31; Nwabueze Ahiwe, 47; and the Chief Priest of the Criminal Syndicate, Obali Paul, 70.
He said some other suspects escaped with various degrees of bullet injuries.
“On searching their second hideout which also serves as shrine where they perform fetish rituals, one AK 47 riffle, three pump action guns, two single barrel locally made guns, one locally made pistol and one cut to size gun were recovered.
“Also recovered were 50 rounds of 7.66mm live ammunition, 38 rounds of live cartridges, two AK 47 magazines, two locally made explosive devices, one iPhone, one H-mobile, walkie-talkie, three cow horns painted with Biafran Insignia, two Biafran Jewish caps, and a Jewish flag.”
He added that a large number of weeds suspected to be cannabis sativa and other fetish objects were equally recovered.
“Frantic investigating efforts is on top gear to arrest other syndicate members at large and make them face the full wrath of the law.
“The commissioner of police while commending the operatives for a job well done, stressed the fact that policing is collective responsibility,” he emphasized.
He appealed to Imo people to join hands with the Police and other sister security agencies in the crusade against terrorism and to report any suspicious activity or persons seen with or treating gunshot injury to the nearest Police station.
Okoye further released the command’s phone lines: 08034773700 and 08098880197, for any emergency.
PM
200,000 repentant terrorists surrender, drop arms in North East – CDS
The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, has disclosed that about 200,000 repentant terrorists have so far dropped their arms and surrendered to troops in the North East, noting that the twin strategy of kinetic and non-kinetic operations was responsible for this achievement.
The CDS made this known at the Security and Justice Symposium organised by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) in collaboration with the British High Commission, which began at the National Counterterrorism Centre in Abuja on Tuesday.
He disclosed that the theme of the symposium, ”Securing Peace, Ensuring Justice, Protection, Conduct, and Accountability,” speaks volumes about the deluge of security challenges the armed forces and security agencies are facing.
His words, “All the challenges we are facing today have to do with fairness, equity, justice, and accountability.
“There will not be peace without justice, equity, fairness, and accountability. In our operations, we are conducting both kinetic and non-kinetic strategies, which have to a large extent yielded significant successes, and we want to particularly thank the National Security Adviser for his great support in this regard.
“Nigeria is going through so many challenges, and we feel we’re able to address this, and everybody has a sense of belonging. A lot of the security challenges we are having, we are sure, will go down. I want to thank the National Security Advisor for all the support he’s given us, both the kinetic and the non-kinetic.
“We have said it; the kinetic aspect is just less than 30%. The non-kinetic has a lot to play. The non-kinetic, because when you have democracy, people must have the evidence of democracy. As long as it tells people to sleep well and be peaceful, and they are hungry, their children cannot eat, and all this creates more problems.
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“The issue of informants. We have to look at how we tackle this issue of informants. Because these are the people who have created the issue.
Robbers kill two members in shoot-out with Delta police
The spokesperson for the police in Delta State, SP Bright Edafe, has confirmed the death of two robbery suspects in the state.
Mr Edafe, who disclosed this to journalists on Tuesday in Warri, said that the deceased were killed from the bullets shot by their gang members.
According to him, the incident occurred on Wednesday at Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of the state.
Mr Edafe explained that the deceased were leading the police surveillance team attached to the Ekpan Division to their hideout when they were caught during a shoot-out.
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“The suspects were arrested at Effurun roundabout with a bag containing 57 live cartridges and other items. They were leading the surveillance team to their hideout at Warri/Sapele road when their gang members, on sighting the vehicle of the police team, engaged them in a shootout.During the gun duel, the arrested suspects that were leading the police team were fatally wounded by the gun shot of their colleagues. The two injured suspects were taken to the hospital and later died while receiving treatment,” he said.
Mr Edafe said that items recovered from the hoodlums hideout included: one English pump action gun, one locally made cut-to-size gun and eight live cartridges.
Others were: six iPhones, Smart phones and a Rolex wrist watch.
He said that the command had intensified manhunt on the fleeing members of the gang.
(NAN)
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