The police in Imo State say they have arrested 2,785 individuals for allegedly committing various criminal offences in the state.
The police spokesperson in the state, Henry Okoye, in a statement on Saturday said the suspects were arrested in multiple operations conducted in the past six months in the state.
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Mr Okoye, a deputy superintendent of police, said the offences included kidnapping, terrorism, murder, armed robbery, cultism, and child trafficking.
“These operations also resulted in the rescue of 58 kidnapped victims and 42 stolen children, many of whom have been joyfully reunited with their families,” he said.
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Dismantling of IPOB hideout
Mr Okoye said police operatives, in one of the operations, dismantled a camp belonging to suspected members of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed militant wing, Eastern Security Network (ESN).
The spokesperson said police operatives dismantled the IPOB camp at Njaba, a local government area in Imo State, when they raided it.
He said some notorious and wanted IPOB/ESN members were arrested during the operation.
Mr Okoye identified some of the arrested IPOB members as Amechi Onyebuchi, 38, Ozioma Ihedoro, 39, Cyprian Ikegbunam, 50, and Uchenna Opara, 30.
“These individuals were responsible for multiple attacks on security formations and public infrastructure in Njaba LGA.
“During interrogation, they confessed to the kidnap and murder of Emmanuel Oguzie, allegedly on the orders of a wanted ESN commander known as Asari,” he said.
“All the suspects will be arraigned in court upon completion of investigation.”
Several arms and ammunition, including explosives, were recovered from the suspects, according to the police.
Some of the items recovered included two GPMGs, 14 pieces of AK-47, 20 pump-action guns, four fabricated rocket launchers, seven gas-cylinder explosives, locally made hand grenades, Biafran flags, and charms.
Arrest of suspected kidnappers
Mr Okoye said, in another operation, police operatives arrested two suspected kidnappers: Uche Nwachukwu, 24, and Chinonso Ozirim, 32.
The spokesperson said the arrested suspects- believed to be members of a syndicate- allegedly kidnapped a resident, Anayo Iwuoha, on 20 June in his compound at Akabo, a community in Ikeduru Local Government Area of Imo State.
“The syndicate held the victim at Chinonso Ozirim’s residence, collecting a N2.2 million ransom before a joint operation by the Anti-Kidnapping Unit and local vigilantes led to his rescue and the arrest of the suspects,” he said.
“A manhunt is ongoing for their fleeing accomplices.”
Arrest of cultist
Mr Okoye said, in a separate operation, police operatives arrested a suspected cultist, Chinazaekpere Ogbonna, 36, who hails from Orlu, another local government area of the state.
The police spokesperson said Mr Ogbonna is a suspected member of Vikings Confraternity and had been on the run for two years after the brutal murder of a man simply named “Pikin.”
He said Mr Ogbonna and three of his unnamed gang members allegedly “butchered Pikin” whom they “mistakenly identified” as a rival cultist.
“He (Ogbonna) was recently apprehended by operatives of Orlu Division for burglary and stealing, but upon further profiling and transfer to the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, he was identified as one of the cultists involved in the heinous murder,” Mr Okoye said.
Increased attacks
Like other states in Nigeria’s south-east, security has deteriorated in Imo State with frequent attacks by armed persons.
kidnappers, cultists and even armed robbers are believed to be partly responsible for the growing insecurity in the region.
READ ALSO: IPOB: About 200 security agents killed in South East SSS Witness
Also, separatist groups like IPOB have been linked to some deadly attacks in the region.
The IPOB-linked attacks often target security agencies, government officials and facilities.
But the group has repeatedly denied its involvement in the attacks.
Hundreds of persons have been killed or abducted and several others injured in some of such attacks in the region.
IPOB is a group leading agitation for an independent state of Biafra, which it wants carved out from the south-east and some parts of south-south Nigeria.
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