Police in Imo State have raided a camp suspected to belong to the Indigenous Folks of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Japanese Safety Community (ESN), arresting 29 people and recovering a cache of weapons.
The raid befell in Nempi, situated in Oru West Native Authorities Space, and was introduced in a press release by the Imo State Police Command spokesperson, Henry Okoye, on Monday. Amongst these arrested had been 25 males and 4 ladies, all allegedly linked to the proscribed IPOB group.
The operation was launched after the arrest of a key suspect, 25-year-old Anukuru Nnana Emmanuel, on September 15, 2024, in Mgbidi. His confession led the police to the camp, the place they efficiently dismantled the group’s operations.
Throughout the raid, the police recovered a spread of weapons, together with 4 pump-action weapons, two locally-made revolvers, 5 locally-made pistols, three AK-47 magazines, and 20 rounds of reside ammunition. Different seized gadgets included a Level of Sale (PoS) machine, over ₦200,000 reportedly extorted from kidnapping victims, a white SUV, and native bulletproof charms believed to have been utilized by the suspects.
The police described the raid as a big step in tackling the safety risk posed by such teams within the state. Investigations are ongoing, with efforts underway to hint and apprehend the producers of the locally-made firearms.
The police reiterated their dedication to making sure public security and promised continued decisive motion towards felony actions in Imo State.
