Imo: Live Tortoise, 9 Suspects Held After Fiery Gun Battle Between Police And IPOB/ESN

The Police Command in Imo State, has recovered a live tortoise and assorted charms after a fiery exchange with terror groups, the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra ( IPOB) and the Militia Wing of the Eastern Security Network (ESN).

BIGPENNGR reports that the onslaught took place at two identified terror Camps located in Okwudo in Njaba LGA of Imo State and Umuorji Mgbidi in Oru West LGA of Imo State respectively.

The camps were busted by the police command’s tactical teams on February 7, 2022 at about 0400 hours, after credible intelligence gathering and surveillance of the area.

The State Police Public Relation Officer, CSP Michael Abattam who confirmed the
development in a statement on Thursday, said the team in a commando style stormed the identified camps of the terror groups in the state, 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.

“They are Ekene Abiaziem age 31 years m of Mgbidi, Emmanuel Nwabueze m age 58 years of Mgbidi, Ifeanyi Eze m age 38 years of Mgbidi, Izunna Chukwukezie m age 39 years of Okwudo, Ejike Onuabuike m age 44 years of Okwudo, Chukwuebuka Elvis Nkonta m age 27 years of Okwudo, Jerohm Amaiah m 33 years of Okwudo, Chukwuebuka Nwachukwu m age 23 years of Okwudo and Chimobi Ogbonna m age 27 years of Awomama to the station.

“On combing the bush and searching the Camps, Three Automatic Pump Action guns, four Locally made Pistols, Twenty-One (21) Rounds of Live Cartridges, Four Locally Made Improvised Explosives Devices ( I.E.DS ), Five Sharpened Cutlasses, Five Rounds of 7.62 mm Live AK47 Rifle Ammunition, Four Rounds of 5.56 mm Live Assault Rifle Ammunition, One Big Rubber Drum containing substances suspected to be Indian hemp, some quantities of Ice Hard Drugs, suspected to be Mkpurumiri, One Live Tortoise, Assorted Black Charms, Four Biafran Flags, Several BIAFRAN/MASSOB Identity cards, Three Battle Axes 3, Four Biafran Berets and Assorted Phones, were recovered.

He said that hethree corpses were later deposited at Federal Medical Center Mortuary Owerri, lmo State while investigation is ongoing.

“In the course of Investigation, it was revealed that, these terror suspects are the ones that have been terrorising the good people of the state. And most of the reported cases of kidnapping and armed robbery were perpetrated by them.

“They have made useful statement and have volunteered to assisting the police in the arrested of his members of their gang presently, on the run”, CSP Abattam added.

The breakthrough, he said came on the backdrop of 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 in the state.

According to him, the team carried out the order holistically in tandem with the determination and directives of the commissioner of Police, Imo Command, CP Rabiu Hussaini, aimed to restore normalcy to the state.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Imo Command, CP Rabiu Hussaini, while commending the officers and men for their gallantry and prompt action, urged them to intensify efforts in ensuring that the other suspects are arrested.

He advised Communities and Vigilante Groups to work in collaboration with the police and give credible information that will assist in the arrest of the fleeing suspects.