The Imo State Police Command has apprehended the suspected kidnapper of Eze Samuel Ohiri, former Chairman of the Council of Traditional Rulers, and Sabinus Ugwuebu, an official of the Federal Road Safety Corps.
This development occurred simultaneously with a police operation targeting what they believed to be a hideout of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its affiliate, the Eastern Security Network (ESN).
According to Henry Okoye, the State Command Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), the police, in collaboration with the military, engaged in a gunfire confrontation with suspected IPOB/ESN militants at their camp in Ihite Owerre, Orlu Local Government Area, around 3:30 am on January 9, 2024.
“The arrested suspect, who is believed to be a member of the ESN terrorist group may lead to where the kidnapped victims are.
“On searching the camp, we recovered road safety uniforms of the kidnapped officer, Sabinus Ugwuebu,” he submitted.
Okoye noted that the police recovered one pump action gun, two double barrel guns, two single barrel guns, 54 rounds of live cartridges, military uniforms, six motorcycles and a box containing locally made explosives from the camp.
He said that a thorough investigation is in progress to arrest the fleeing suspects and possibly rescue the kidnapped victims unhurt.
