Imo Police Command Arrests 25 over Killing of DPO, Traditional Ruler

Tony Icheku, Owerri

The Imo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Aboki Danjuma, said the State Police Command have arrested 25 male suspects  for various criminal cases ranging from  terrorism activities, armed robbery, murder, stealing/receiving stolen properties, cultism, and unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition.
He said the suspects are evidentially linked to the respective cases against them, including the kidnapping and killing of a traditional ruler in Ezinihitte Mbaise, the killing of a party ward chairman, the killing of a DPO Ahiazu Mbaise and an Inspector of Police all within Mbaise axis.

The Police Commissioner said the various killings; all within an interval of each other prompted him to convene a crucial meeting with Inter-Agency Security chiefs in the State aimed at rolling out collaborative operational strategies that will assist in bringing the assailants to book.
His words: “I directed the Command’s Special Tactical Squad to go all out in synergy with other sister security agencies and hunt down the hoodlums responsible for the attacks.”

According to him, in the course of investigating the aforesaid cases, a total number of 20 Assault Rifles including, 5 AK 47 rifles, 6 Pump Action guns, 9 locally made pistol and one Berretta pistol and a total of 359 rounds of various calibers of ammunition, were recovered from them.
He added that other items recovered from the suspects include six vehicles, (3) motorcycles, charms, IPOB/ESN vest/insignia, military camouflage, police vests, and other incriminating items.

The Police boss narrated that following the murder of DPO Ahiazu Mbaise and an Inspector of Police on Monday November 27, 2023, at Ahiara junction in Ahiazu Mbaise, by disgruntled elements and the subsequent confessions of suspects arrested at the scene, Police operatives in synergy with the military, operatives of the anti-kidnapping unit subsequently  stormed the camp of the  syndicate at Umuohie in Ngor Okpala LGA of Imo State, dislodged the terrorists, recovered two automatic pump action riffles and six rounds of life cartridges.

He also revealed that working with a Technical Intelligence Tracking Devices, the Police stormed Igbodo-Etche in Rivers State and arrested a native doctor named Everest Agbaragam ‘m’, 62 years, of Umuoma, Igbodo, Etche Rivers State, aka Mount Everest
A search of  his shrine led to the recovery of  one pump action gun loaded with 12 rounds of live cartridges, one big bag containing various denominations of Biafran currencies, one live crocodile, and fetish items were recovered.
The native doctor provided useful information leading to police raid of   Umuogwu Forest in Aboh Mbaise LGA on Friday, December 1, according to the police boss.

In further elaboration, CP Danjuma said that, “The terrorists on sighting the Police, engaged them in a gun battle but were subdued by the combat-ready operatives who professionally maneuvered into vintage position and returned fire. In the ensuing gun duel, some of them were neutralized while others escaped into the tick forest with bullet wounds.

“The terrorist’s camp was dislodged and the following exhibits were recovered: 1. Five (5) AK-47 riffles, 2. Six (6) magazines containing two hundred and twenty (220) live ammunition, 3. Six (6) pump action guns, 4. One hundred and twenty-one (121) rounds of live cartridges, 5. One Revolver, 6. Four (4) locally made pistols, 7. Three Toyota Venza Cars, including the one they used in attacking the DPO, One Toyota Highlander SUV, and IEDs.”