Ebonyi State Police Command said it has destroyed the camps, and shrine of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and arrested a commander, and other members of the group in the state.
The command spokesperson, SP Chris Anyanwu disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists in Abakaiki, the state capital on Sunday.
According to Anyanwu, the command received credible intelligence on the hideout of the group and swooped on them with the collaboration of the DSS, Army and other security agents in the state.
He noted that the joint security team carried a similar operation in the Anike Isu Onicha local government area of the state, the abode and Shrine of the Commander of the organization popularly called Ambassador and destroyed the shrine.
Anyanwu listed items recovered from the group as 12 bullet-proof jackets, 8 sets of Military camouflage uniforms, 2 camp-gas cookers, 110 rounds of FNC live ammunition, 40 rounds of GPMG live ammunition, 2 PRO electronics scanners (EOD equipment), 5 empty canons, 5 single-barrel guns, 9 assorted GSM handsets, 3 locally-fabricated revolver pistols, 1 white Toyota Hilux vehicle, a bunch of keys, 3 NIN slips bearing different names.
Others include 2 KYMCO motorcycles (one with Reg No. ENU 353 Q, while the other has no Reg No), 1 YAMAHA motorcycle with Reg No. QC 267 UML, 1 KC SAMSUNG motorcycle without Reg Number, 7 Military/Police bullet-proof jackets and 2 pairs of Military boots and many others were recovered in the shrine.
“Ebonyi State Police Command under the able leadership of CP Aliyu Garba psc (+), armed with credible intelligence, stormed three big Camps of the outlawed IPOB/ESN operatives (including a new one under active construction), located in a thick forest close to Opeke River, in Omege village Agba Community, of Ishielu LGA.
“The operation spearheaded by the Command’s Tactical teams and assisted by the Military and DSS in the State was prompted by quantum pieces of reliable evidence, professionally elicited from the interrogation of Nnamdi Ngwuta Obaji aka State Commander No. 3 and another operative of the outlawed group, Felix Ogudu who were earlier arrested.
“While accessing/cordoning the Camps, the combined teams were ambushed by the criminal elements with rains of sporadic shooting in their direction. Without hesitation, the allied team swiftly responded and engaged them in the same manner and of course, their superior firepower subdued the miscreants, who chanted morale-boasting war songs, dived into the Opeke River and swarm in different directions as they scampered for safety. However, a good number of them were neutralised while many escaped with bullet injuries.
“After dislodging the criminal elements and taking over the ground, the camp which they christened “IGBO BU IGBO TRAINING SCHOOL CAMP”, was ransacked and destroyed. Equally, a wooden bridge under construction intended to aid the miscreants in their coming and going, was dismantled,” he said.
“One of the Leaders of the organisation popularly known as SARS COMMANDER with dreadlocks on his head said to be an indigene of Cross River State is on the run and is declared wanted. He and members of the outlawed IPOB/ESN are responsible for the attack on police stations, hometown of former Chairman Ikwo of Ikwo LGA.
“The gang is also highly suspected to have partaken as a criminal participant in the attack of the Provost of Federal College of Education, Isu Onicha along Agba axis a few days ago judging from the proximity of their camp to the scene of the incident and many other similar ones in the State,” he added.