Police Operatives drawn from Tactical Squads and Operation Restore Peace have carried out a raid of an IPOB/ESN camp in a forest at Agu-Ibeje in Enugu-Ezike community of Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area of Enugu State.
In the operation, conducted between 11th and 12th August 2022, the operatives engaged the hoodlums in a gun duel, one of the hoodlums was killed while several others escaped with varying degrees of fatal gunshot wounds.
The operation led to the discovery and exhumation of the corpse of a Police Officer serving in Igbo-Eze North Police Division of the Command, identified as Okpanachi Johnson.
According to the State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, the Officer was declared missing on July 30, 2022, and all efforts made to trace his whereabouts proved abortive.
“Also recovered at the Camp were 12 firearms, including one AR-K2 Assault, six Pump Action guns, one locally-made Berretta-like 98 pistol, and five locally-fabricated double-barrelled guns, live cartridges, two Machetes, one Digger, one Battle axe and one Hacksaw.
“Others include five motor vehicles- including three Toyota Sienna minivans, one Honda Pilot Jeep, and one Hiace (Hummer) bus loaded with assorted Ankara fabrics, all reported to have been snatched from their owners at different times within the area by the hoodlums. 20 different brands of motorcycles with their plate numbers removed, one Police bullet-proof vest; one pair of Police Camouflage uniform, one pair of Military camouflage uniform with a cap and a Military singlet, one (1) piece of red-black-green coloured clothing identified as Biafra flag and another five (5) pieces of masquerade-like attires of the said flag colours, one HP laptop with its bag; 22 different brands of mobile phones; six different brands of Mp3 players, one Canon camera, six torchlights, among others.”
While commending the Operatives for the successful execution of the operations without any casualty recorded by the Command, the State Commissioner of Police, CP Abubakar Lawal, charged them to remain focused on actualizing the overall goal of ridding the State of unrepentant criminal elements.