The Imo State Police Command, on Monday, paraded a suspected sub-commander of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Eastern Security Network (ESN), Chinonso Ugochukwu, over the murder of one Pastor Chima, and several others.
The Police also paraded seven other members of the outlawed groups for offences ranging from terrorism, kidnapping, and murder within the state.
The new Police Commissioner in the State, CP Audu Garba Bosso, paraded the suspects at his maiden press conference and parade of suspects at the State Police Command headquarters in Owerri, the Imo State capital.
31-year-old Chinonso Ugochukwu, also known as Bob Adam, told journalists of his involvement in multiple kidnappings and murders, including that of Pastor Chima, Jeremiah, and Ugochi Nwabueze, buried in shallow graves in the forest.
Further, Ugochukwu told journalists that he and four others, Chibuzor Okafor, Ohaka Chukwuka, Ezekwe Chizoba, and Ezekwe Chinyere—all from Orsuobodo in Oguta LGA of the State, were linked to IPOB/ESN terrorism, kidnapping, and murder within the Oguta area.
Other IPOB/ESN members paraded included Amucha Nkemdirim Innocent and Michael Okafor of Umuakagu-Nsu, both from Ehime Mbano Local Government Area of the State, for their involvement in terrorism, kidnapping, and murder.
They confessed to the shooting and murder of Onyebuchi Anthony Njoku in Umuakagu-Nsu. They also admitted to the kidnapping of Nnamdi Ali and Ohaeri Nathaniel Onyema, who are reportedly being held hostage at an IPOB camp in Okigwe.
Meanwhile, the Imo State Police boss Bosso has disclosed that a coordinated intelligence-led operation is currently underway to rescue the kidnap victims.
Another suspect, Chinaemerem Ogamba of Ubaheze Omoma in Oru-East LGA of Imo State, confessed to being a member of the proscribed IPOB/ESN terrorist groups and murdered one Izanga, male, of Oru-East local government area of Imo State, for allegedly murdering his own elder brother, one Arinze Ogamba.
CP Bosso said the command arrested 15 criminal suspects implicated in various offences, including kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism, IPOB/ESN-linked terrorism, child trafficking, murder, and stealing.
According to him, operations successfully led to the rescue of one kidnap victim and one stolen child, both of whom have been reunited with their families.
CP Bosso said, “a major breakthrough was the arrest of 5 notorious kidnap suspects — Chinonso Ugochukwu, Chibuzor Okafor, Ohaka Chukwuka, Ezekwe Chizoba, Ezekwe Chinyere, all of Orsuobodo in Oguta LGA of Imo State — for their involvement in series of IPOB/ESN related terrorism, kidnapping, murder and other violent crimes within Oguta locality and its environs and recovered 1 LAR rifle, 3 AK-47 rifles without breach number, 3 pump-action guns, 30 rounds of live cartridges, some locally made explosives, criminal charms and IPOB/ESN insignia and currency.
“During interrogation, Chinonso Ugochukwu AKA Bob Adam, an IPOB/ESN sub-commander aged 31 years old, confessed to the group’s involvement in series of kidnappings/murders and provided information which led to the discovery and exhumation of several corpses buried in shallow graves in the forest among which is the alleged corpse of one Pastor Chima, one Jeremiah and one Ugochi Nwabueze all of Orsuobodo in Oguta LGA.
“Similarly, operatives of the Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit arrested 2 suspects – Amucha Nkemdirim Innocent and Michael Okafor, both of Umuakagu-Nsu in Ehime Mbano LGA, Imo State – for their involvement in terrorism, kidnapping and murder in Umuakagu-Nsu community and recovered 2 pump-action gun and nine rounds of live ammunition.
“Upon interrogation, the suspects confessed to the shooting and murder of one Onyebuchi Anthony Njoku in Umuakagu-Nsu, and the kidnapping of one Nnamdi Ali and one Ohaeri Nathaniel Onyema, who according to the suspects, are currently being held hostage at IPOB camp in Okigwe. Coordinated intelligence-led operation is ongoing to rescue the victims.”
Items recovered include suspected remains of the murdered victims.
“10 firearms (4 AK-47 rifles, 1 LAR rifle, 5 pump-action guns), 260 GPMG live ammunition, 240 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, 280 live cartridges, 10 improvised explosives, 11 machetes, 5 stolen motorcycles, 32 vehicle registration plates, 32 cellphones, 5 laptops, a substantial quantity of suspected Indian hemp, 2 walkie-talkies, IPOB/ESN insignia, counterfeit currency, and criminal charms,” CP Bosso said.
Meanwhile, the command has disclosed that all the arrested suspects will face appropriate criminal charges in court upon the conclusion of investigations.
CP Bosso appealed to Imo State people to always provide credible and timely information, even as he assured that all reports would be handled with utmost confidentiality and acted upon swiftly.
