Operatives of the Imo State Police Command have stormed what they suspect to be a criminal hideout of the outlawed indigenous People of Biafra and its militant wing, the Eastern Security Network.
The operation led to the arrest of an alleged kidnapper of an official of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Sabinus Ugwuebu, and former Eze Imo, HRH Eze Samuel Ohiri.
The Imo State Police Public Relations Officer, Henry Okoye, said that the police worked with the military and they engaged the IPOB/ESN militants at their camp at Ihite Owerre, in Orlu Local Government Area of the State in a gun duel at about 3.30 am on January 9.
He stated: “The arrested suspect, who is believed to be a member of the ESN terrorist group may lead to where the kidnapped victims are.
“On searching the camp, we recovered road safety uniforms of the kidnapped officer, Sabinus Ugwuebu.”
He said the police recovered one pump action gun, two double barrel guns, two single barrel guns, 54 rounds of live cartridges, military uniforms, six motorcycles and a box containing locally made explosives from the camp.
Adding, he said, “A concerted investigative effort is in progress to arrest the fleeing suspects and possibly rescue the kidnapped victims”.