37 arsonists, police killers armed with map, weapons arrested; confess working for boss

Ebube Agu, police in Ebonyi busted a 37-man gang of hoodlums who confessed to have carried out series of arson and attacks on police and IEC facilities in the state.

The Ebonyi chapter of the southeastern security network, with the support of the police,carried out the joint operation in Agubia area of Ikwo LGA.

The hoodlums mobilized to attack more government facilities f in the area when the security outfits got the intel.

On their arrest, the group confessed to their atrocities in other parts of the southeast—Imo, Abia, Enugu, Anambra—where similar attacks have bee pn-going.

Security agencies believe they are IPOB militants seeking secession, but Imo Gov Hope Uzodinma claimed yesterday about 30 percent of the hundreds of such criminals arrested in his states are not Igbo—or IPOB members.

The operation that led to the arrests of the Ebonyi criminals was coordinated by Commissioner for Internal Security, Border Peace and Conflict Resolutions, Stanley Okoro Emegha and the Ikwo local government council chairman, Steve Orogwu in conjunction with the Ikwo Divisional Police Officer.

According to Emegha, the suspects came from different parts of the state and various parts of the southeast to carry out the operation.

“We got information that there were people gathering to burn some police stations, burn some INEC [Independent National Electoral Commission]  ffices and courts in the area and then the Ebube Agu quickly mobilised and swooped on them.

“It was discovered that they have a map and came from different places like Enugu, Imo and others from different local government area of Ebonyi State. We asked questions, they said they have the authority of whoever they called their boss to burn those places.

They have been handed over to the police.

Police claimed the suspects said they were working on the instruction of their boss whose identity the agencies are working on.