By Magnus Aluma, Abakaliki
The Police in Ebonyi State, Tuesday, paraded six more suspected enforcers of illegal sit-at-home order in the state and recovered arms from them.
The State Commissioner of Police, Augustina Ogbodo , who paraded the suspects and other criminal elements at the state’s police headquarters in Abakaliki, gave their names as Emmanuel Edwin, Innocent Odii, Sunday Nwenne, Okonkwo Victor, Chika Ogad and Sunday Chukwu.
She said: “on the 10th of July 2023, at about 14:30 a distress call was received by operatives of the command that some members of the proscribed Indigenous People Of Biafra, IPOB and Eastern Security Network, ESN are at Okposi in Ohaozara Local Government Area of the State trying to enforce the unlawful sit-at-home order.”
According to her, the tactical teams which immediately swung into action, trailed the hoodlums numbering about ten to Akaeze where there was a gun duel between them.
The police boss explained that suspected IPOB/ESN members were subdued by the superior fire power of the Police which led to some of them sustaining bullet wounds while trying to run into the bush for cover.
“One of the hoodlums who sustained bullet wounds was rushed to the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki where he was confirmed dead by a medical doctor,” she emphasised.
Ogbodo listed the exhibits recovered from the hoodlums to include one pump action gun, two Ak-47 with breach No. 400557, 9 round of 762x39mm Ak-47 live arm, one Toyota highlander jeep, one fireman sumac generator, one motorcycle and assorted criminal charms.
The Police Commissioner noted that on 11th of July, 2023 while patrolling the area, three persons among the hoodlums were arrested with bullet wounds and were also rushed to Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki for medical treatment while one of them, was later confirmed dead.
On Advance fee fraud, Ogbodo said “on 5/07/23, one Ogochukwu Pins ‘m’ living at No 45 Nkaliki Road Abakaliki, aged 40 years, had on 4th July 2023, petitioned her office, claiming that one Odom Maxwell defrauded him of a total sum of twenty-six million two hundred and fifty thousand naira, to sell some plots of land to him.
She further stated one Nwibo Nathaniel Nnabuike also filed a petition against the same Maxwell Odom of defrauding him to the tune of three million three hundred thousand naira, with the aim of selling a plot of land to him.
The Police boss further disclosed that the same Odom Maxwell, who was also accused by another complainant one Barr Agbom Friday of defrauding him of the sum of five million two hundred thousand naira for another land deal, was successfully arrested in Asaba, Delta State and has been charged to court.
