By Wilson Adekumola
The tactical team of the Imo State Police Command has arrested nine suspected criminals terrorizing parts of the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria reported that the arrest came barely two weeks after gunmen attacked and killed four policemen in a restaurant at the Ngor Okpala area of the state.
The statement made available to journalists on Sunday by the command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Henry Okoye, revealed that the command also recovered arms and ammunition from the suspects’ hideouts.
According to the spokesman, the arrests followed the state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr Mohammed Barde’s directive to launch an investigation and manhunt to unearth the perpetrators of the Ngor Okpala dastardly act.
Okoye said,, “Acting on the CP’s directives, a detachment of the Command’s tactical team on April 24 at about 1730hrs after a diligent gathering of credible intelligence, arrested one Mathew Chuwkuma, 48 years, of Mpam Ahaizu Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State, in his hideout at Umuahia, Abia.
“He confessed to be the Sector Commander of the proscribed and dreadful IPOB/Eastern Security Network (ESN) syndicate in Mbaise and assisted the curious operatives in arresting three of his syndicate,” Okoye said.
The names of the suspects listed include Ojoko Ikechukwu, 53; Chilaka Charles, 44; and Anthony Iwu, 50, who were all arrested in their criminal hideout at Umuokiria, Ahaizu Mbaise Local Government Area of the state, while others escaped.
He said on searching the suspects and their hideout, incriminating items were recovered.
Okoye revealed that items recovered from them are one cut-to-size AK-47 rifle, 190 rounds of live 7.62 mm ammunition, two AK-47 magazines, two cut-to-size double barrel guns and one locally fabricated Beretta pistol were recovered from the terrorist hideout.
“In the course of the investigation, the suspects all confessed to being members of the proscribed IPOB/ESN syndicate terrorising the good people of Imo and had a hand in the recent killing of four Police officers and two civilians at Ngor Okpala.
“They volunteered crucial information that assisted the determined operatives on April 27 at about 1240hrs in raiding their second hideout/shrine in Itu, Ezinitte Mbaise local government area of Imo, which led to the arrest of four other notorious IPOB/ESN suspects famous on the command’s wanted list due to their nefarious activities,” he said.
Source: NAN
