The Imo State Police Command on Friday announced it has arrested a man suspected to be the manufacturer of bombs being used by the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.
The Police identified the alleged manufacturer as 50-year-old Simeon Onigbo.
Imo State has been the hotbed of IPOB fight for the independence of the State of Biafra, as it has been carrying out a series of attacks on police stations and government facilities in the State.
The State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Micheal Abattam, disclosed this to newsmen in Owerri on Friday.
According to him, the State Command raided the bomb manufacturing facility on Wednesday at Uba Umuaka in Njaba Local Government Area of Imo State, following information made available to the Police.
He said the suspected, who was paraded by the Police in Owerri, mentioned the names of other accomplices in the bomb manufacturing venture, both within and outside the state.
A statement released by Abattam said:
“Sequel to the modified and invigorated strategies emplaced by the Command’s management team under the watch of the Commissioner of Police, Imo Command, CP Mohammed Ahmed Barde, psc on the assumption of office, with a view to checkmate violent crimes and criminality in the State.
“In line with the Commissioner of Police strategy in stemming crime, the Command’s Tactical Teams following credible intelligence received on 20/4/2022 at about 1700hours, revealed the hideout of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra IPOB/Eastern Security Network (ESN), its militia wing, where they are manufacturing Improvised Explosive Devices used in attacking Police Stations and Government facilities in the state.
“The Police Operatives immediately mobilised to the hideout of the terror group located at Uba Umuaka in Njaba LGA of Imo State and raided the camp.
“In the course of the raid, one Simeon Onigbo ‘male’ age 50 years was arrested.
“On the spot interrogation, the suspect admitted being the manufacturer of most of the Improvised Explosive Devices ( I.E.Ds) used in attacking police stations in the State and outside the State.”
“On searching the criminal hideouts items recovered include the following: One already prepared Improvised Explosive Devices, Fifty-eight pieces of Cannon Steel Pipe, Two Chisels, One Monday Hammer one and a half bag of Potassium Nitrate, thirty Pounds Weight of Sulphur, Forty Pounds Weight of dry Sand, TenFifty-eighth of Red Sand, Thirty Pounds Weight of Gun Powder, Half Bag of Charcoal, Thirty Electronic Motorcycle Batteries and Seven Lengths of Fortyimeters Iron Rods.
“Meanwhile, the Command’s Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit (EOD) has taken over the recovered bomb for technical analysis and subsequently for possible detonation millimetres, the investigation is ongoing, the suspect has made useful statements and mentioned members of his gangs outside the State who patronise him. Operatives of the Command are not relenting and all efforts are on top gear to arrest the other suspects,” the Police said.