The Ebonyi State Police Command, on Tuesday, confirmed the killing of a member of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra/Eastern Security Network (IPOB/ESN) trying to enforce the illegal Sit-at-Home order in Okposi, Ohaozara Local Government Area of the State.
A statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Onome Onovwakpoyeya, said that on Monday, July 10, 2023 at about 1350hrs, some armed men suspected to be IPOB/ESN members went to Okposi in Ohaozara LGA and started shooting sporadically into the air.
She said that on receipt of the information, the Operatives of the Command immediately swung into action and gave the hoodlums a hot chase, adding that the hoodlums engaged the policemen in a gun duel.
SP Onovwakpoyeya said that the gun duel resulted in one of the hoodlums being shot dead by the police while the others escaped with varying degrees of bullet wounds.
The PPRO stated that the items recovered from the hoodlums included one blue highlander jeep riddled with bullets, one pump action gun, five live cartridges, four handsets (phones) and one sumec fireman generator.
Others included charms, assorted provisions stolen from shops, one red and one black face masks, 10 expended pump action gun cartridges and nine expended shell of AK47 rifle ammunition.
She added that similarly on Tuesday, July 11, 2023 at about 0600hrs during the continuous combing of the bushes, other fleeing members of the gang were arrested with bullet wounds.
SP Onovwakpoyeya gave the names of the arrested suspects as Emmanuel Edwin ‘m’, Chigozie Udeh ‘m’ adding that one other suspect was also arrested unconscious with bullet injuries but later gave up the ghost on the way to the hospital and was confirmed dead by the doctor on duty.
“The Ebonyi State Commissioner Of Police, CP Augustina Ogbodo is using this medium to warn criminals to either lay down their arms or relocate from the state as it will no longer be a safe haven for them.
“The Commissioner also urged the people of the state to go about their lawful activities, as maximum security measures have been put in placed. There is intensive motorized patrol of the entire State to halt the activities of the hoodlums,” the PPRO stated.
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