Ebonyi State Police Command yesterday paraded 50 suspected criminal elements who allegedly masterminded the killings of security operatives and destruction of government facilities in the state.
Briefing journalists in Abakaliki, the state Commissioner of Police, Aliyu Garba, also disclosed that 39 suspected hoodlums were arrested in Agubia Ikwo, where they were allegedly planning to attack Onueke Police Station and INEC office both in Ezza South Local Government Area of the state.
According to him, “Eight of these suspects made useful statements to the police, while one of them, Elom Daniel, 17, took police operatives to their hideout at Agbaja-Izzi community in Abakaliki LGA of the state, where the owner of the house escaped leaving behind his wife and a child. Upon intensive search of the house/premises, the several items were recovered.
Some of the items recovered were one AK-47 riffle with 35 live ammunition; two riffles with eight live ammunition; eight magazines; two locally fabricated Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) (tested and certified); five machetes; one police belt, and some suspected charms.”
The CP explained that Daniel narrated that he specialised in drawing the map of any planned area to be attacked by the group before execution, adding that the suspect further admitted that the meeting at their state sector commander’s resident was to attack Onueke Divisional Police headquarters, INEC office and Ebube-Agu security outfit.
The state police boss said: “Daniel further stated that his group was responsible for the attack on the army checkpoint at Amasiri in Afikpo North LGA on March 26, 2021, where two army officers were killed and their rifles taken away.
“He also claimed that his group was responsible for the attack on the Central Police Station in Abakaliki during the #EndSARS protests, where a Police Inspector and one other officer were killed and the inspector’s rifle carted away. One of the AK-47 rifle recovered when crossed checked was found to be the same police rifle that was stolen by the hoodlums from the late Police Inspector during the #EndSARS protests.
“Elom Daniel further narrated that his gang were also responsible for the attack at Onueke Police Station on January 8, 2021, which claimed the lives of three policemen and the attack on Nigeria Police Force Animal branch personnel attached to Agricultural Quarantine checkpoint at Donkey Market Ezzangbo in Ohaukwu LGA of the state on March 23, 2021, where two assault rifles were carted away by the hoodlums. The two rifles are among the recovered rifles.”
The police command also paraded other suspects Ozibo Jonah aka Ojukwu among others who confessed that they were responsible for the attack on the policemen attached to Safer Highway Patrol stationed on Ogoja/Abakaliki expressway where some of the security operatives were fatally wounded.
Garba also said the confession was further corroborated by the recovery of AK-47 rifle belonging to police personnel from the suspects.
