The Imo State Police Command, yesterday said that it arrested five suspected members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) linked to the killing of a police Sergeant, Joseph Nwaka, Department of operation of the command. This is contained in a release signed by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Orlando Ikeokwu, on Saturday wherein it was disclosed to newsmen in Owerri that their arrest came after a gun battle with the security operatives at Amanato in Isu local government area of Imo. The police added that the bursting of their camp was a result of the arrest of one of their members Onyekachi Mmadufor, a native of Umuduruekwe Isu LGA, who aided the police with the information in the arrest of others. Ikeokwu also said items recovered from the suspects include, one AK 47 rifle with breech no 56-258115, 15 Rounds of live ammunition, four locally fabricated weapons, six live cartridges, and a large quantity of weeds suspected to be Indian hemp.
According to him, one of the suspects, Onyekachi Mmadufor, of Umudurukwe, Isu LGA confessed to being a member of the IPOB who, along with his cohorts carried out attacks and killings of police and other security personnel.
1“The crime prevention and control strategies adopted by the Imo Police Command under the leadership of Commissioner of Police (CP) Abutu Yaro, to rid the state of activities of the proscribed IPOB and other criminal elements are yielding positive results.
“On May 14, the CP deployed Anti-Kidnapping unit and other tactical teams of the command to Amanato Isu LGA for the arrest of members of the IPOB but the hoodlums engaged them in a heavy gun duel.
“The operatives successfully repelled and dislodged them leading to the immediate arrest of five suspects while others escaped with possible gunshot wounds.
“Discreet investigation is in progress with a view to effecting further arrests, after which they will be charged to court for prosecution,” he added.
He further said that the CP commended the operatives for “a job well done” and charged them to sustain the tempo so as to ensure enduring security and safety of Imo residents and Nigerians at large.
