•Recover arms, ammunition, explosives
Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has said that all murderers would be punished through the course of justice, in relation to the killing of security operatives as a result of unprovoked attacks.
In line with this, 16 suspects have been arrested by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force for alleged complicity in the series of attacks on security operatives and facilities in some states of the Federation.
Of particular notice are the attacks in the South Eastern part of Nigeria.
In a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, a Commissioner of Police, it was said that the arrest was an outcome of painstaking and tireless efforts by police operatives, in collaboration with their counterparts from the Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Air Force.
Mba said that the efforts were targeted at bringing to justice, persons responsible for the emerging trend of attacks on security personnel and wanton destruction of security facilities and operational assets.
He gave the names of the suspects as Ugochukwu Samuel a.k.a Biggy (28), from Abia State; Raphael Idang (31), from Cross River State; Cletus Nwachukwu Egole a.k.a ‘Alewa’ (60), from Imo State and Michael Uba (33), from Imo State, including 12 others.
Mba said that they were implicated in multiple felonies committed across several states in the South Eastern part, in the course of investigation.
He added that the suspects were arrested in various parts of the country following sustained and intelligence-driven sting operations.
“Police investigations clearly established and linked the suspects to several incidents of attacks and murder of security personnel, as well as stealing, unlawful possession of firearms, arson and malicious damage to operational assets of military and law enforcement agents.
“Specifically, investigations revealed that the duo of Ugochukwu Samuel a.k.a Biggy and Raphael Idang were among the criminal elements that attacked policemen on duty at a checkpoint on December 24, 2020, along Orlu-Ihiala Road in Imo State, where two police officers were killed and a Police Hilux patrol van set ablaze.
“In addition, both were part of a larger group that attacked a police reconnaissance team on January 13, 2021, killing one police officer.
“Samuel a.k.a Biggy, who sustained a bullet wound during an attack by his gang on a military convoy, in which some soldiers were killed and weapons carted away, was subsequently arrested while receiving treatment in a hospital.
“Both suspects confessed to being active members of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Eastern Security Network (ESN),” the FPRO stated.
Thenewsbearer learnt that one of the suspects arrested, Egole, a self-acclaimed pastor with the Holy Blessed Trinity Sabbath Church, Orlu, Imo State, and Michael Uba, a self-styled prophet with the Association of Jewish Faith, who were also arrested, were two of the masterminds of the various attacks on security personnel, in addition to providing spiritual cover for the gang.
Mba said that Egole’s house was allegedly used by the gang members to plan their operations, while he also donated his late brother’s farmland for use as a hideout and training camp for the gang.
The FPRO added that a total of nine AK-47 rifles, five other sophisticated firearms, 17 AK-47 magazines, 549 AK-47 live ammunition, 10 Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), camouflage bullet proof vests, walkie talkies and other incriminating items were recovered from the suspects.
Sternly warning that the police force would not tolerate any further attack on its personnel or any citizen by any individual or group under any guise, the FPRO said that the IGP has assured that law enforcement agents had gathered sufficient intelligence on the attackers.
He said that the operatives were closing in on scores of suspects already implicated in the attacks, directly or indirectly, for financing, aiding and abetting the criminals.
Adamu also enjoined parents, guardians, traditional and opinion leaders to prevail on their children and wards to desist from towing the destructive paths of crime.
CP Mba said that all the suspects would be charged to court at the conclusion of investigations.
