Men of the Imo State Police Command, on Thursday, stormed another camp of the Eastern Security Network linked to the Indigenous People of Biafra and arrested two persons.
A statement issued by the spokesman for the command, Michael Abattam, disclosed that the operation was part of the command’s efforts to restore peace to the state.
The statement gave the names of the suspects as Chibuike Iheukwu, 18, of the Inyishi Ikeduru Local Government Area of the state, and Jidechi Akakem, 26, of Umuchoke Orji in the Owerri North Local Government Area of the state.
The statement disclosed that other members of the outlawed group escaped with bullet wounds after engaging the cops in a gun duel.
The police said the destroyed camp was located in Emekeukwu in the Owerri North Local Government Area of the state.
The statement read in part, “Sequel to the ongoing clearance operation embarked upon by the Imo State Police Command on raided major IPOB/ESN camps in the state and its environs aimed at wiping out the remnants of the IPOB/ESN members and restoring lasting peace in the state, the command’s tactical teams, after diligent gathering of technical intelligence, stormed a notorious criminal hideout at Emekeukwu in the Owerri North LGA of Imo State, where they had a serious gun duel with the hoodlums.
“That led to the arrest of two of the suspects namely; Chibuike Iheukwu, 18, of Inyishi Ikeduru LGA of Imo State, and Jidechi Akakem, 26, of Umuchoke Orji in the Owerri North LGA of Imo State, while others escaped with bullet wounds.
“Items recovered from them are three locally-made pistols with 14 rounds of live cartridges and substances suspected to be hard drugs. Upon interrogation, one of the suspects, Jidechi Akakem, who has been on the police wanted list of IPOB/ESN members, confessed to being a member of the dreaded terrorist gang of the late Joseph Uka Nnachi, aka King of Dragon.
“He admitted being among those who attacked the Orji Police Station and had committed several other crimes in the state. Both suspects also admitted to belonging to the Vikings Confraternity headed by one Emmanuel Anyanwu, aka Walking Skeleton, a native of Ezeogba Emekeukwu in the Owerri North LGA of Imo State and that he was the one that gave them the guns and cartridges to go and kill one Sir Vitalis Onuwa of the same address with Emmanuel Anyanwu, aka Walking Skeleton.”
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