Nonsochukwu Uwa, Owerri
The Imo State Police Command said it raided a shrine in the Ubah community in Agwa, Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State and arrested seven suspected members of the Eastern Security Network, ESN, an armed group of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, including a native doctor and a live python in a cage used for making charms for protection against bullets and knives last Wednesday.
The State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Micheal Abattam, disclosed this to newsmen in Owerri, on Thursday.
The command said those arrested were allegedly involved in the killing of a police officer in the Agwa community last month and that one of the suspects arrested earlier led the Police to the forest location of the other suspects.
Explaining how they carried out the operation, the Police said: “Sequel to the receipt of credible information that, the native doctor who prepares charms for fortifications against bullets and knives for members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed affiliate, Eastern Security Network ( ESN ), and led in the attack and killing of a police officer in Agwa Community has returned after fleeing the Community.
“The Command’s Tactical Teams, on 18/5/2022 at about 0600 hours hastily mobilised and with the positive revelations made in course of interrogating the suspects earlier arrested in connection with the killing, the team was able to locate the criminal hideout in Ubah Agwa in Oguta LGA of Imo State and immediately cordoned area and tactical went into the den.
“The hoodlums on sighting the police operatives, attempted to escape only to discover that the whole escape route has been saturated with police operatives hence, they were arrested. They include Casmir Mgbugha ‘m’ aged 53 years, Hycent Chimezie ‘m’ aged 30 years, Hycent Azunna ‘m’ aged 28 years, Hycent Ifesinachi ‘m’ aged 26 years, Hycent Chimobi ‘m’ aged 23 years, Chukwuemeka Wisdom ‘m’ aged 22 years and Nnadike Clifford ‘m’ aged 72 years and on searching the terror camp, the following items were recovered; they include one Toyota Camry car with registration number AKD 73 BF LAGOS, one live Python, eight locally made Pistols, eighteen rounds of live cartridges, one Biafra flag, a pair of Police Camouflage Uniform belonging to late Inspector Felicia Nwagbara ‘f’ who has been declared missing since 2017 by police authorities.”
“Amazingly, while coming out of the terror camp, one of the suspects, Hycent Chimezie for the second time, attempted escaping and was maimed on the leg. In the course of interrogation, the suspects confessed to having murdered the late Inspector Felicia Nwagbara who was the second wife of one of the suspects – Casmir Mgbugba. They further stated that they are the manufacturers of the locally made guns recovered from them apart from using them in perpetrating crimes they sell to robbers and kidnappers.
“The Command, wish to use this medium to appreciate the good people of Imo State for their undaunting support and assure them of the command’s commitments in sustaining the already improved security architecture in the state,” Police said.
