The Commissioner of Police, Ebonyi State Command, CP Aliyu Garba on Monday arrested over fifty (50) bandits and unknown gunmen for allegedly razing police stations and killing officers in the state.
Garba made this known while briefing Journalists at the command’s headquarters in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.
The commissioner said: “Police while acting on credible information arrested suspected bandits, unknown gunmen at Agubia Ikwo in the residence of one ‘Ebube Ivom’ ‘m’ age 31yrs, their suspected Sector Commander.
Garba noted that “A Cross River State-based native doctor (Ezemuo), was invited to fortify members of the group with marks on their bodies, as antidotes to bullets in preparation to attack Onueke Divisional Headquarters and INEC office both in Ezza South Local Government Area of the state was also arrested.
“The command swiftly deployed a team of Police Operatives in collaboration with Neighborhood watch of Ikwo, in the process thirty-nine (39) male suspects, made up of indigenes of Ebonyi State and two non-indigenes from neighbouring Abia State were arrested and large quantities of juju charms were recovered from them together with living creatures such as Tortoise and hawk.
“Eight (8) of these suspects made useful statements to the Police, while one of them, ‘Elom Daniel, ‘m’ age 17yrs 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.
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“Elom Daniel narrated that he specializes in drawing the map of any planned area to be attacked by the group before execution; he further admitted that the meeting at their State Sector commander’s resident was to attack Onueke Divisional Headquarters, INEC office and Ebube-Agu Security Outfit on the date mentioned above.
“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 Army officers 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 carted away. One of the AK 47 rifles recovered when cross 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 Daniel narrated that his gang were also responsible for the attack at Onueke Police Station on 8th January 2021 which claimed the lives of three Policemen and the attack on Nigeria Police Force Animal branch Personnel attached to Agricultural Quarantine checkpoint, along Donkey Market Ezzamgbo in Ohaukwu L.G.A of the State on 23rd March 2021 where two (2) Assault rifles were carted away by the hoodlums. The two rifles are among the recovered rifles.
The police equally arrested a dismissed soldier, Israel Onyibe a native of Mmbamili-Nkaliki in Ebonyi Local Government Area for allegedly involving in the razing of Ugbodo Police Divisional Headquarters in Ebonyi Local government area of the state.
Other suspects include Joseph Nwali, Ozigbo Jonah aka Ojukwu, Nwankwo Jacob, Nwali Chibueze and hails from Amachi-Igbegu in Izzi Local Government Area of the State.
Also, one Nwite Okechukwu aka (More Money) was arrested and led police Operatives to their hideout at Mile 50 Abakaliki.
Items recovered from the bandits include; One (1) Ak 47 Rifle with Thirty-five (35) live ammunition, Two (2) AR Rifles with Eight (8) live ammunition, Eight (8) magazines.
Two (2) locally fabricated Improvised Explosive (tested and certified, Five (5) Machetes, One Police belt and Some Juju charms.
