Mike Abattam, the spokesman of the Imo police command, made this known in a statement issued in Owerri on Friday.
He said the IPOB kingpin, identified as Uchenna Chukwu, was arrested at Ehime-Mbano LGA of the state.
The police spokesman said Chukwu had earlier been declared wanted and was instrumental in the killing of police officers and the burning of police stations in Imo.
He said the suspected IPOB member was arrested at his shop in Ehime Mbano.
“The suspect raised alarm alerting members of his gang, picked a cutlass and rushed at one of the police operatives and attempted chopping off his head but was overpowered, disarmed and the cutlass recovered,” the police spokesman said.
“While this was on, the already alerted members who came in their numbers to rescue him engaged the police in a gun duel and in the process, one of them was neutralised while others escaped with bullet wounds.”
The police spokesman said some weapons were recovered when the suspect was arrested.
He said the suspect is undergoing interrogation and had provided relevant information to the police.
