Police arrest suspected killers of DPO, inspector

The police in Imo State, South-east Nigeria, have arrested suspected killers of a divisional police officer (DPO) and an inspector in Ahiara Junction, Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government Area of the state.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported how suspected members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its militant wing, Eastern Security Network (ESN) allegedly killed the two operatives on 27 November in the area.

The Commissioner of Police in Imo State, Aboki Danjuma, at a press briefing at the State Police Headquarters in Owerri on Sunday, said the suspected killers of the operatives were among a total of 25 crime suspects arrested in the state, ThisDay reported.

Mr Danjuma said the suspects were arrested for various criminal cases ranging from IPOB activities, armed robbery, murder, stealing/receiving stolen properties, cultism, and unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition.

The police commissioner said the suspects in the killing of the DPO and the inspector were also “evidently linked” to the recent killing of a traditional ruler in Ezinihitte Mbaise, and a Peoples Democratic Party ward chairperson.

He added that the killings prompted him to convene a meeting with various security agencies to reel out collaborative security strategies to track down the attackers.

Confessions of a few suspects arrested at the scenes of the incidents assisted the police operatives in raiding some criminal hideouts, he said.

“Police operatives in synergy with the military, operatives of the anti-kidnapping unit subsequently stormed the camp of the (crime) suspects at Umuohie in Ngor Okpala Local Government Area of Imo State, dislodged the terrorists, recovered two automatic pump action rifles and six rounds of live cartridges,” he said.

More raids, arrests

Mr Danjuma said, in continuation of the operation using a technical intelligence tracking device, the police operatives also raided another camp in Igbodo-Etche in Rivers State and arrested a native doctor, Everest Agbaragam, 62 who hails from the community in the South-southern state.

“A search of his shrine led to the recovery of one pump action gun loaded with 12 rounds of live cartridges, one big bag containing various denominations of Biafra currencies, one live crocodile and fetish items,” he said.

“On interrogation, he (the native doctor) confessed to being a member of IPOB/ESN. He stated that he usually prepares local bulletproof charms, popularly known as ‘Odeshi’, for his cohorts before they embark on any operation,” Mr Danjuma stated.

The police commissioner added that the native doctor provided useful information which assisted the police in the raid of Umuogwu Forest in Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area on 1 December.

“The terrorists, on sighting the police, engaged them in a gun battle but were subdued by the combat-ready operatives who professionally manoeuvred into vintage position and returned fire.

“In the ensuing gun duel, some of them were neutralized while others escaped into the thick forest with bullet wounds,” Mr Danjuma stated.

Five AK-47 rifles, six magazines containing 220 live ammunition, six pump action guns, 121 rounds of live cartridges, one revolver, four locally made pistols, three motorcycles, charms, IPOB/ESN insignia, military camouflage and police vests were recovered from the suspects, according to the police.

Others were nine locally made pistols, three Toyota Venza cars, including the one the hoodlums used in attacking the DPO, one Toyota Highlander SUV, improvised explosive devices and one Beretta pistol.

IPOB, a group seeking an independent state of Biafra from the South-east and some parts of the South-south, has been linked to some of the deadly attacks in the two regions.

But the separatist group has repeatedly denied any involvement in the attacks.