AGNES NWORIE, ABAKALIKI
The Ebonyi State Police Command has paraded total of 60 suspects for various offences ranging from murder, armed robbery, self-confessed membership of the Eastern Security Network, and Indigenous People of Biafra, among others.
The Ebonyi State Police Commissioner, CP Aliyu Garba, disclosed that among the suspects is a 17-year-old boy, allegedly specialised in drawing maps and gathering information about planned areas of attacks for the gang.
CP Garba stated in a statement issued to the media, that, “At about 1830hrs of *23/5/2021, while acting on credible information suspected ESN/IPOB members were meeting at Agubia Ikwo in the resident of one *Ebube Ivom* ‘m’ age 31yrs, their suspected hoodlums Sector commander. The said meeting had in attendance a Cross River State based native doctor (Ezemuo), who was invited to fortify members of the group with marks on different parts of 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 by 8:30pm of same day, 23th May, 2021.
“On the strength of the information, the command swiftly deployed 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 neighboring 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. Upon intensive search of the house/premises, the following items were recovered;
“One (1) Ak 47 Riffle with Thirty-five (35) live ammunitions, Two (2) AR Riffles with Eight, live ammunitions, Eight (8) magazines, Two (2) locally fabricated Improvised Explosive (tested and certified), Five (5) Machetes, One Police belt and Some Juju charms.
“Elom Daniel narrated that he specialized 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 rifle recovered when crossed 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.
The Police Commissioner also disclosed that,”Elom Daniel further 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 Ezzangbo 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.”
He noted that in a follow-up investigation, “Elom Daniel led the Operatives to another Kingpin hideout, who on sighting the Police took to flight, and in an attempt to maim him, was grievously wounded. The suspect was rushed to the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, where he gave up the ghost. His remains were deposited at the same hospital mortuary for preservation.”
