EKO HOT BLOG reports that at least ten suspected Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) members have been arrested by men of the Nigeria Police Force in a recent operation.
The Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Okon Effiong, confirmed the development to journalists on Friday, December 30, 2022.
During a press briefing in Port Harcourt, the state capital, Effiong said the force also arrested seven fake members of the Civilian Joint Taskforce during its hunt for criminals in various parts of the state.
According to the police commissioner, the suspects were nabbed when a team of officers raided their hideouts following credible intelligence to the command.
Effiong said the suspected IPOB members were arrested in Oyigbo on the outskirts of Port Harcourt, while the men bearing fake civilian JTF members were nabbed in Omoku and Ahoada, both in Rivers State.
The CP said, “On December 23, 2022, we received information that some IPOB members have started relocating to Rivers State.
“We had to work on that intelligence, and we discovered where they stay in an estate in Oyigbo. The building they stayed in the Estate was raided, and ten of them were arrested.
“Interestingly, four of them arrested were identified as the key players in the burning down of the Oyigbo Police Station during the #EndSARS riot.
“And one of them has been on the wanted list of the police since February this year.”
CP Effiong further explained that the command is still working on the suspects and would act immediately after getting more information.
He disclosed that the fake civilian JTF had gone to the Northeast for training in arms handling and had come to Rivers to recruit members when they were arrested.
He said, “We just have to be very careful and sensitive. Information was received that a group of persons were training in arms handling.
“And we discovered that the people had gone for the so-called training from the Northeast and had come down to Port Harcourt to recruit people. And they said they were civilian JTF.
“When their camp was searched, eventually about four locally made AK 47 rifles were recovered with some ammunition.
“The intriguing thing is that we recovered many camouflage uniforms. If anybody saw them, they would think they were policemen.
“In the course of our investigation, we discovered that they had already opened up cells in Ahoada and Omoku.
“We have gone to Omoku, we have raided those cells and we have arrested seven of them.”
While assuring that the command would ensure that the state remains unsafe for criminal elements, Effiong solicited the support of members of the public to assist the police with relevant information that would aid the arrest of suspects.
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