Nigeria police raid suspected IPOB, ESN camps in Imo, arrest 2

The Imo State Police Command has arrested two suspected members of Eastern Security Network, ESN, the armed security outfit of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, after a gun duel at their hideout at Emekeukwu in Owerri North Council Area.

Several others were wounded in the raid, according to the police spokesman, Michael Abattam, a Chief Superintendent of Police on Thursday.

Mr Abattam explained the command’s tactical teams, after a diligent gathering of technical intelligence, stormed a notorious criminal hideout at Emekeukwu where they had a serious gun duel that led to the arrest of two of the suspects.

The suspects, according to him, included Chibuike Iheukwu (18) of Inyishi Ikeduru Local Government Area of Imo State and Jidechi Akakem (26) of Umuchoke Orji in Owerri North LGA.

According to him, items recovered from the suspects included three locally made pistols with 14 rounds of live cartridges and substances suspected to be hard drugs.

Upon interrogation, he said Mr Akakem, who has been on the police wanted list of IPOB/ ESN members, confessed to being a member of the dreaded terrorist gang of the late Joseph Uka Nnachi, aka King of Dragon.

He also admitted being among those that attacked Orji Police Station and committed several other crimes in the state.