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| File Photo of ESN |
“The owner of the hotel has been accommodating and assisting them financially"
Imo State Commissioner of Police, Abutu Yaro has revealed how 15 year old boy, Emmanuel Nnaji of Awala in Ideoto South Local Government Area of Imo State led the police tactical team to a hotel in Orlu Local Government Area, where gunmen use as hideout and planned attack carried out on Omuma community and Njiaba Police Station in the state.
He said this on Monday, while parading the over 20 apprehended suspects, who are suspected members of Eastern Security Network of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), in Owerri the Imo Capital.
Mr. Yaro added that the suspects were arrested with Army uniforms, arms and ammunition; and 7 females were among them.
“Sequel to the recent attack on Omuma Police station and Njaba Police Station respectively, where the bandits were swiftly repelled by the ever-alert tactical teams of Imo State Police Command and the unfortunate loss of a Divisional Police Officer, the police arrested one of the bandits, Emmanuel Nnaji, 15 years, a native of Awala in Ideato South LGA of Imo State with bullet wounds and brought him to the station.
“On interrogation by the command’s tactical teams, the suspect gave a vivid description of a hotel located in Orlu as where they, the bandits stayed, planned and executed their dastardly act on the police stations.
“The owner of the hotel has been accommodating and assisting them financially. He then volunteered and led security forces to the location of the hotel. On arrival, the hotel and house were cordoned and searched exhibits were recovered from the arrested 26 suspects including seven females.
“It is on good record that it was in the same hotel that the head of a young man was severed and placed on the road close to the hotel premises. Presently, the investigation is ongoing and the suspects are undergoing interrogation.
“Recall that, in the same Orlu, some months ago during the peak of IPOB/ ESN attacks and killing of policemen, some innocent citizens were also affected and some police stations in the state were burnt.
“That, the command’s tactical teams and Special forces, after a diligent gathering of technical intelligence, arrested one Boniface Okeke ‘Male’ age 57 years from Obor Autonomous Community in Orlu LGA of Imo State in connection with terrorism and attacks on security agencies and private individuals where several Police stations were burnt down and police officers killed in numbers," the Commissioner said.