Imo State Police Command burst IPOB/ESN camp in Izombe, neutralize several hoodlums, recovered massive weapons and charms.
The Imo state police command on Friday, said it has dislodged camps belonging to Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Eastern Security Network (ESN) at Izombe community in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State.
The clearance operation, according to the force, was carried out by Imo State Police Command’s Tactical Teams on 25th of August, 2022, at about 4:30 PM.
Acording to a statement released by CSP Michael Abattam, the Police public relations officer in Imo state, the tactical team carried out the operation after diligent gathering of both technical intelligence and credible information on the clandestine activities IPOB/ESN in Izombe.
He said the police tactical team mobilized and raided the identified camp newly created by the hoodlums in Izombe community in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State.
The statement reads;
“The hoodlums who on sighting the police operatives engaged them in a gun battle but were overwhelmed by the superior fire power of the gallant police operatives who positioned themselves professionally.
“During the fierce gun battle, the hoodlums suffered a huge casualty which resulted to them retreating, escaping into the bush with various degrees of bullet wounds.
“The operatives after dislodging the hoodlums moved in and conducted a thorough search of the camp where the following items: three (3) English made Pump Action Guns, One Hundred and Eighteen (118) GPMG ammunitions, Fourty One (41) AK 47 live ammunition, Ninteen (19) G3 ammunitions, One (1) cut to size locally made double barrel, one locally made double barrel, Four (4) locally made Pistols, Four (4) locally made explosive devices, military uniforms, police uniforms, Biafra flags, four ESN caps, One (1) pair of Police boot, various types of hard drugs, some police accoutrements, Four (4) live tortoise, large quantities of weeds suspected to be Indian hemp, and pieces of red cloths were recovered to the station.
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“After the successful raid, the operatives while leaving the hoodlums’ den were ambushed some distance away, by the hoodlums who engaged them in another gun duel.
“During the exchange of gun fire, the operatives were able to subdue the hoodlums and in the process Five (5) of them were neutralised. Unfortunately, three (3) police operatives sustained not life threatening injuries and were taken to a government hospital where they were treated.
“The hoodlums realizing they have suffered a heavy defeat went for a reprisal attack in the villages, burning houses belonging to both serving and retired police officers and other security agencies. Furthermore, houses belonging to persons they suspect are informants to security agencies were equally burnt down.”
The statement called on members of the community not to allow their areas to be used as safe haven for the commission of heinous crimes and to report suspicious activities or any person observed treating bullet wounds to the nearest police station or call the Command’s emergency numbers: 08034773600 or 08098880197.
Source: Imo State Police Command
