Police Kill Four Criminals Enforcing IPOB Sit-At-Home Order In Enugu

The Enugu State Police Command has killed four criminal elements enforcing the sit-at-home order by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in the South-East geopolitical zone. Police Public Relations Officer of the command, DSP Daniel Ndukwe disclosed this in a statement posted on the command’s Twitter handle.

DSP Daniel Ndukwe said the hoodlums were dislodged and killed in the early hours of Friday, July 7, 2023 by police operatives serving in the Awkunanaw Division of the command. He said a combined team of tactical Police Operatives of the Command have further discovered and recovered the lifeless bodies of the male hoodlums, in a forest behind G. Ede Filling Station, at Awkunanaw, Enugu, where they escaped into.

According to him, the operatives intercepted the criminals at One-Day, Awkunanaw, Enugu, as they were snatching an Entraco-branded Sharon minivan from its driver at gunpoint.

The police spokesman added that the criminals engaged the operatives in a gun battle, but escaped with varying degrees of fatal gunshot wounds, due to the superior firepower of the police operatives.

According to his words; “Hence, a manhunt operation was launched by the combined team, while a thorough search was conducted on the vehicle which led to the recovery of one AK-47 rifle with a magazine loaded with nineteen live ammunition of 7.62 calibres, two bottles of petrol bomb and other incriminating exhibits.

“The Commissioner of Police, CP Ahmed Ammani, has once again reassured that the Police and other Security Forces in the State shall not relent in their efforts to maintain maximum security and safety of the law-abiding citizens, as they go about their lawful businesses. He, however, solicits their continued support,” the statement concluded.

Also, Police in Ebonyi state have arrested 15 suspects over `sit-at-home’ shooting in the state. The Police in Ebonyi state on Friday, announced the arrest of 15 persons suspected to be involved in the shooting on Tuesday at new market and Ishieke axis of the state.

The shooting was carried out as the suspects forced people to abide by the order issued by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), stopping all residents from coming out of their homes for seven days, from July 3 to July 10, 2023. The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Faleye Olayele told reporters in Abakaliki that among the 15 suspects arrested from their hideouts, were two herbalists, Okwudili Otozi and Nnenna Ali.

“They have attacked our area commander and burnt our vehicle. They have been terrorizing the state. On July 4, they came to Ishieke firing sporadically and that was on Tuesday. I want to tell you that 15 of them have been apprehended, together with their herbalists. We recovered arms and charms of different kinds.

Mr Faleye Olayele said that the suspects were preparing for another attack on Friday when they were arrested by the police. According to his words; “This shows that our officers are dedicated to their duties, the arrest was made possible by our men through the information we got,” he said, and warned all criminal elements to steer clear of Ebonyi state.

However, one of the herbalists told newsmen that he was forced to join the gang. According to his words; “I did not know that they wanted to operate in Ebonyi state they came to me and requested for medicine and I gave it to them, after which they forced me to join them to the bush for further preparations. Please, I was forced to follow them after I gave them the medicine,” Otozi claimed.