The Ebonyi State Police Command said its men on May 23, 2021 swooped on and arrested 39 suspected members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra and the Eastern Security Network while they were holding a meeting at Agubia Ikwo in the residence of one Ebube Ivom, their Sector Commander.
The Command’s Commissioner, Aliyu Garba, who disclosed this at press briefing on Monday, said the meeting had in attendance a Cross River State-based native doctor, simply identified as Ezemuo, who had been invited to fortify members of the group with marks on different parts of their bodies, as antidote to bullets.
They were prepating to attack Onueke Divisional Police Headquarters and Independent National Electoral Commission office in Ezza South Local Government Area of the state by 8:30pm of that day.
A team of police operatives, in collaboration with Neighbourhood Watch of Ikwo, was deployed, during which the 39 suspects were arrested.
Large quantities of charms were recovered from them, including living creatures such as tortoise and hawk.
“Eight of these suspects made useful statements to the police, while one of them, Elom Daniel, 17, took police operatives to their hideout at Agbaja-Izzi community in Abakaliki Local Government Area of the state, where the owner of the house escaped leaving behind his wife and a child,” Garba said.
Upon intensive search of the house/premises, one AK-47 riffle with 35 live ammunitions, two assault rifles with eight live ammunitions, eight magazines; two locally fabricated Improvised Explosive Devices, five machetes, one police belt, and some charms were recovered.
Elom Daniel told police that he specialised in drawing the map of any planned area they planned to attack before execution.
He also said that the meeting at their State Sector Commander’s residence was towards attacking Onueke Police Divisional Headquarters, INEC office and Ebube-Agu Security Outfit.
CP Garba said: “Elom further stated that his group was responsible for the attack on the Army checkpoint at Amasiri in Afikpo North Local Government Area on 26th March 2021 where two soldiers were killed and their rifles taken away.
“He also claimed that his group was responsible for the attack on Central Police Station, Abakaliki, during the #EndSARS protests, where a Police Inspector and one other were killed, and the inspector’s rifle taken away.
“One of the AK-47 rifles recovered when crossed-checked was found to be the same police rifle that was stolen by the hoodlums from the late Inspector at the Central Police Station, Abakaliki, during the said #EndSARS protests.”
Elom further narrated that his gang were also responsible for the attack at Onueke Police Station on January 8, 2021, which claimed the lives of three policemen and the attack on Nigeria Police Force Animal Branch Personnel attached to the Agricultural Quarantine checkpoint, along Donkey Market Ezzangbo in Ohaukwu LGA of the state on March 23, 2021, where two assault rifles were taken away by the hoodlums.
In a follow-up investigation, Elom led operatives to another kingpin’s hideout who on sighting the police fled.
He was shot and rushed to the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, where he gave up the ghost.
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