Imo State Police Command has said its operatives wounded several members of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPoB), and its militia arm, Eastern Security Network (ESN) during a bloody shootout.
The shootout, which took place at camp at Ubah Agwa/Izombe tropical rain Forest in Oguta Local Area, left several wounded.
In a statement by the command’s spokesman, Henry Okoye, the Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Barde said the group was planning to launch an attack from their base in the forest when operatives of the command’s tactical teams swiftly swung into action, tactically maneuvered their way into the identified criminal hideout and raided it.
“Acting on intelligence that members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPoB) and its militia affiliate (ESN), whose modus operandi is gorilla-like operation have once again reassembled and formed a camp at Ubah Agwa/Izombe tropical rain Forest in Oguta LGA of Imo State, strategizing how to perpetrate another dreadful crime, the operatives of the Command’s Tactical teams swiftly swung into action and maneuvered their way into the identified criminal hideout and raided it”, the statement read.
Barde said that the hoodlums on sighting the Police operatives engaged them in a fierce gun duel but were overpowered by the superior firepower of the operatives who professionally took vantage position and returned fire, forcing them to flee with various degrees of gunshot injuries.
“On searching the dislodged terrorist camp and shrine, three Automatic Pump Action guns, 31 rounds of live cartridges, 59 rounds of AK 47 ammunition, one Police hand grenade, IPOB/ESN insignia, blue and black colour Police uniforms, P-Cap, Police belt, military camouflage uniforms, one black colour tiger 150 motorcycles, one red Daylong Motorcycle, One black KYMCO motorcycle, one Sliver Color Honda Lady’s Motorcycle, one black travelling bag ‘Akubuokwu’ and phone number 07035470794, suspected to belong to a kidnapped or armed robbery victim were recovered”.
