...Recover guns, other dangerous weapons
Ebonyi Police Command has dislodged the training camps of the outlawed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB and arrested one Nnamdi Ngwuta aka State Commander of the group.
Also arrested by the police was Felix Ogudu, a member of the IPOB in the state, with guns and other dangerous ammunition recovered. The Police spokesman in the state, SP Chris Anyanwu disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.
He said the arrest was successful carried as armed with credible intelligence, a combined team of the Police, the Department of Security Service (DSS) and the Military stormed three camps of the outlawed IPOB/ESN, including a new one under active construction located in a thick forest close to Opeke River, in Omege village of Agba Community in Ishielu LGA.
According to Anyanwu, the operation was prompted by pieces of reliable evidence, elicited from the interrogation of the two IPOB operatives.
He explained that in the process of cordoning off the Camps, the combined teams were ambushed by the criminal elements with sporadic shooting in their direction, adding that the team responded and engaged them in the same manner and the superior firepower of the security operatives subdued the miscreants.
He said that the IPOB operatives chanted morale-boasting war songs, dived into the Opeke River and swamped in different directions as they scampered for safety.
He said that a good number of the IPOB members were neutralized while many escaped with bullet injuries.
SP Anyanwu noted that after dislodging the IPOB members and taking over the ground, the camp which they christened
“IGBO BU IGBO TRAINING SCHOOL CAMP,” was ransacked and demolished.
He equally noted that a wooden bridge under construction intended to aid the movement of the miscreants was dismantled.
He said that the items recovered included, 11 bullet-proof jackets, eight sets of Military camouflage uniforms, two camp-gas cookers, 110 rounds of FNC live ammunition, 40 rounds of GPMG live ammunition, 2 PRO electronics and scanners (EOD equipment).
Others included five empty canons, five single-barrel guns, nine assorted GSM handsets, three locally-fabricated revolver pistols, and one white Toyota Hilux vehicle, among others.
The PPRO added that the joint team also carried the onslaught to Anike Isu Onicha LGA, the abode and Shrine of the dare-devil State Commander of the organization popularly called Ambassador.
He said that items recovered from the camp included 2 KYMCO motorcycles (one with Reg No. ENU 353 Q, while the other has no Reg No), 1 YAMAHA motorcycle with Reg No. QC 267 UML, 1 KC SAMSUNG motorcycle without Reg Number, 7 Military/Police bullet-proof jackets and 2 pairs of Military boots.
He said that the shrine has a live tortoise which was equally neutralized at the end of the operation.
“One of the Leaders of the organization popularly known as SARS COMMANDER with dreadlocks on his head said to be an indigene of Cross River State is on the run and is declared wanted.
“He and members of the outlawed IPOB/ESN are responsible for the attack on Police Stations, the home town of former Chairman Ikwo of Ikwo LGA. The gang is also highly suspected to have partaken as a crimini participant in the attack of the Provost of Federal College of Education, Isu Onicha along Agba axis a few days ago,” he said.
The Police Mouthpiece said that the Commissioner of Police advised the citizens of Ebonyi State to assist the Command as always, with reliable information which will help to arrest the hoodlums raging the state with blatant scandals.
