Police swoops on IPOB members, parades 25 suspects, financier

Police in Imo state on Monday paraded 25 suspected Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Eastern Security Network (ESN), including an alleged financier of the group and seven women.

The Police gave the name of the financier as Boniface Okeke, from Obor Autonomous Community in Orlu Council Area of Imo State.

Commissioner of Police, Abutu Yaro said the suspects were being held in connection with terrorism and attacks on security agencies and private individuals where several Police stations were burnt down and police officers killed in numbers.

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He said on interrogation, Okeke, 57, confessed being a facilitator and financer of IPOB/ ESN operations in the state to the tune of N10m while he was outside the country.

The police boss disclosed the suspects were arrested through the assistance of one of the bandits, Emmanuel Nnaji(15)years, a native of Awala in Ideato South LGA of Imo State, who was arrested after the recent attack on Omuma Police station and Njaba Police Station respectively.

He said: “On interrogation by the command’s tactical teams, the suspect gave a vivid description of a hotel located in Orlu as where they, the bandits stayed , planned, before they executed their dastardly act on the police stations.

He further revealed that one AK47 Rifle with two magazine loaded with 55 rounds of live ammunition, five pump action guns, two double barrel cut to size guns, four double barrel locally made pistol, three single barrel locally made pistols, eight six live cartridges, charms, two bags of weeds suspected to be Indian hemp, Biafran flag, four pairs of army camouflage uniforms and a camouflage bag and a sign board with Biafra insignia .