The Imo State Police Command’s Tactical Teams on Thursday raided a newly-created camp of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed affiliate, the Eastern Security Network (ESN).
POLITICS NIGERIA learned that the camp was in Izombe community in Oguta Local Government Area (LGA) of Imo State.
Five members of the banned group were eliminated, while arms and ammunition were recovered in the operation.
In a statement sent to this newspaper by Michael Abattam, the Police Public Relations Officer in Imo State, security agents said it was after the “heavy defeat” suffered by the outlaws that some of them resorted to burning houses and shops in Izombe and deceitfully blaming it on Ebubeagu security outfit.
Read the police’s statement below:
The hoodlums who on sighting the police operatives engaged them in a gun battle but were overwhelmed by the superior fire power of the gallant police operatives who positioned themselves professionally. During the fierce gun battle, the hoodlums suffered a huge casualty which resulted to them retreating, escaping into the bush with various degrees of bullet wounds.
The operatives after dislodging the hoodlums moved in and conducted a thorough search of the camp where the following items: three (3) English made Pump Action Guns, One Hundred and Eighteen (118) GPMG ammunitions, Fourty One (41) AK 47 live ammunition, Ninteen (19) G3 ammunitions, One (1) cut to size locally made double barrel, one locally made double barrel, Four (4) locally made Pistols, Four (4) locally made explosive devices, military uniforms, police uniforms, Biafra flags, four ESN caps, One (1) pair of Police boot, various types of hard drugs, some police accoutrements, Four (4) live tortoise, large quantities of weeds suspected to be Indian hemp, and pieces of red cloths were recovered to the station.
After the successful raid, the operatives while leaving the hoodlums’ den were ambushed some distance away, by the hoodlums who engaged them in another gun duel. During the exchange of gun fire, the operatives were able to subdue the hoodlums and in the process Five (5) of them were neutralised. Unfortunately, three (3) police operatives sustained not life threatening injuries and were taken to a government hospital where they were treated.
The hoodlums realizing they have suffered a heavy defeat went for a reprisal attack in the villages, burning houses belonging to both serving and retired police officers and other security agencies. Furthermore, houses belonging to persons they suspect are informants to security agencies were equally burnt down.
Meanwhile, the community has been fortified with enough police operatives and other security officers to protect lives and properties while, efforts are on top gear to arrest the fleeing suspects.
The Commissioner of Police, Imo State Command, CP Mohammed Ahmed Barde, psc(+) commended the officers and men for their gallantry and appealed to the various communities in the State to form vigilante groups to complement the efforts of the police. He further called on the Hunters Association to collaborate with security agencies by giving them information on criminal hideouts observed in the bushes.
Finally, he advised that communities should not allow their areas to be used as safe haven for the commission of heinous crimes and to report suspicious activities or any person observed treating bullet wounds to the nearest police station or call the Command’s emergency numbers: 08034773600 or 08098880197.
