Men of the Imo State Police Command have raided an arms factory suspected to belong to the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra and its militant wing, Eastern Security Network (ESN), at Uba Umuaka in Njaba Local Government area of the state.
A suspect reportedly manufacturing explosives was said to have been arrested during the raid.
The police spokesperson in the state, CSP Mike Abattam, said in a statement on Friday that the operation was as a result of painstaking investigation.
The statement read, “In line with the Commissioner of Police’s strategy in stemming down crime, the command’s tactical teams following credible intelligence received on 20/4/2022 at about 1700hours, revealing the hideout of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra IPOB/Eastern Security Network (ESN), its militia wing, where they are manufacturing Improvised Explosive Devices used in attacking police stations and government facilities in the state.
“The police operatives immediately mobilised to the hideout of the terror group located at Uba Umuaka in Njaba LGA of Imo State and raided the camp.
“In the course of the raid, one Simeon Onigbo, 50 years, was arrested. On interrogation, the suspect admitted being the manufacturer of most of the Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) used in attacking police stations in the state and outside the state.”
According to the police, items recovered during the operation include one IED, 58 pieces of cannon steel pipe, two chisels, one hammer one and a half bag of potassium nitrate, 30 pounds of sulphur, 40 pounds of dry sand, 10 pounds of red sand, 30 pounds of gun powder, half bag of charcoal among others.
The statement added, “Meanwhile, the command’s Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit (EOD) has taken over the recovered bomb for technical analysis and subsequently for possible detonation.
“However, investigation is ongoing. The suspect has made useful statement and mentioned members of his gang outside the state who patronise him. Operatives of the command are not relenting and all efforts are on top gear to arrest the named suspects.”
