IPOB: Police parade 26 suspects over killing of Imo DPO, police stations’ attacks

IPOB Members

The Imo State Police Command, on Monday, has confirmed the arrest of 26 suspects in connection with the killing of the Divisional Police Officer of the Omuma Police Divisional Headquarters and the attacks on the divisional headquarters in Omuma and Njaba.

According to the police spoke person, Michael Abattam, the alleged guns, magazines, and other weapons were recovered from the hideout of the suspects when it was raided by the personnel of the command.

He said “Sequel to the recent attack on the Omuma and Njaba police stations, where the bandits were swiftly repelled by the tactical teams of the Imo State Police Command, and the unfortunate loss of a divisional police officer, one of the bandits, Emmanuel Nnaji, 15, a native of Awala in the Ideato South LGA of Imo State, was arrested with bullet wounds and brought to the station.
“On interrogation by the command’s tactical teams, the suspect gave a vivid description of a hotel located in Orlu as the place where the bandits stayed and planned before they executed their dastardly act on the police stations. He further stated that the owner of the hotel had been accommodating and assisting them financially.

“He then volunteered and led security forces to the location of the hotel. On arrival, the hotel and house were cordoned off and searched; the following exhibits were recovered from the 26 arrested suspects, including seven females: one AK-47 rifle with two magazines loaded with 55 rounds of live ammunition, five pump action guns, two double-barrelled cut-to-size guns, four double-barrelled locally-made pistols, three single-barrelled locally-made pistols, eight live cartridges, charms, two bags of weed suspected to be Indian hemp, Biafran flag and beret, ESN cap, four pairs of army camouflage uniforms and a camouflage bag, and a signboard with the Biafra insignia.

“It is on good record that it was in the same hotel that the head of a young man was severed and placed on the road close to the hotel premises. Presently, the investigation is ongoing and the suspects are undergoing interrogation.

“The command’s tactical teams and special forces, after a diligent gathering of technical intelligence, arrested one Boniface Okeke, 57, from the Obor Autonomous Community in the Orlu LGA of Imo State in connection with terrorism and attacks on security agencies and private individuals, including the burning of several police stations and killing of police officers.
“On interrogation, he confessed to being a facilitator and financer of IPOB/ESN operations in the state to the tune of N10m, while he was outside the country. He assisted the police in the arrest of some of their members and the decimation of their camps in the state.

“Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Abutu Yaro, while commending the good people of Orlu and Imo State in general, pleaded for calm as he said security agencies were doing everything humanly possible to sustain the improved peace in the state.”