The Police in Abia State said yesterday that soldiers
recovered Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and petrol bombs from the house of
the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, in the
state.
The items are now in the custody of the police, according to
Police Commissioner Anthony Ogbizi.
Ogbizi briefing the visiting Assistant Inspector General
(AIG) Operations, Force Headquarters, Taiwo Lakanu, in Umuahia said the Station
Officer of the Ariaria Police Divisional Headquarters in Aba that was attacked
last week by suspected members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) died
yesterday.
He had sustained serious injuries when the station was
attacked by the arsonists and was subsequently taken to the hospital for
treatment. Ogbizi said the Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP)
died early yesterday in an undisclosed hospital where he was receiving medical
attention. The Police Commissioner also said 37 suspected members of
IPOB were arrested in the state in connection with last week’s unrest.
The suspects will be arraigned in court tomorrow. Thirty of them were arrested by soldiers in Isiala Ngwa area
of the state, while the remaining seven are accused of having a hand in the
Friday looting and burning of the Ariaria Police Divisional Headquarters. Police Commissioner Anthony Ogbizi told the visiting
Assistant Inspector General (AIG) Operations, Force Headquarters Taiwo Lakanu
that efforts were on to arrest more suspects in connection with the mayhem. He said soldiers recovered Improvised Explosive Devices
(IEDs) and petrol bombs from Nnamdi Kanu’s house.
The items are now in police custody. He added that the Station Officer, an Assistant
Superintendent of Police, who sustained serious injuries after he was attacked
by the arsonists, died early hours of today in an undisclosed hospital where he
was receiving medical attention. He recalled how arsonists forcefully broke the police
station’s entrance zone and destroyed almost everything.
He said: “They were armed with petrol bomb. They burnt
police vehicles and carted away three pump actions and other police materials.
Some officers were injured and in fact as I’m talking to you, one of the
injured police officer, an ASP is dead.
“The doctors tried their best to save him, but they couldn’t.
Now, we have lost a soul. And you know what it takes to train a police officer.
And you know the vacuum created. Once a police officer is gone, it takes a
minimum of one year to train another.
The seven we arrested will be charged for murder, arson and
conspiracy for breach of the law.
“Simultaneously, they carried other attacks on law abiding
citizens of this nation. You could see along the road the destruction of
vehicles belonging to citizens. Certainly you cannot say that that is a
peaceful demonstration. I think this attack was orchestrated to get arms which
they succeeded in doing. Thank God the police succeeded in securing other arms.
They attacked a bank may be with the intention to get more money to buy arms.
“IPOB, going to that extent, cannot say that it is a
non-violent movement. While this one was happening here, along the road in
Isiala Ngwa, the same IPOB members in droves confronted the military and the
military were able to arrest up to 30 of them.
“They will be prosecuted for rioting and unlawful assembly
and other things. While that was going on, the same IPOB carried attack of
various manner in Umuahia and even tried to collect a rifle from a female
military officer. In the process, the military resisted and were able to arrest
19 of them.
“At the same time, along the road leading to Umuahia, they
set up bonfire attacking the police and innocent citizens and pulled out
traffic stands. The vicinity where the Attorney General of the State, Assistant
Inspector General Zone 9, Commissioner of Police, and other residents live.
They attacked the quarters of the Assistant Inspector General of Police Zone 9
and that of the Commissioner of Police.
“And the house of the self acclaimed leader of IPOB, Kanu
was the house they usually come out from to carry out these attacks and
information reaching us is that they have started gathering there. Many
exhibits were recovered from there like petrol bomb and coat of arm of Biafra.
“I know that 90% of Abians are not in support of this, but a
few hoodlums and some others from other states operating under the disguise of
IPOB with the motive to cripple the economy of Abia. If this is not planned,
how could they come in droves to carry out these attacks? At a time, a mobile
patrol vehicle was moving and IPOB members poured petrol on the van with intent
to burn it. Imagine if that was successful. I’m glad that eastern governors
have proscribed the organisation.
On the allegation by IPOB that security agents whisked away
Kanu’s father and some members of the IPOB leader’s family, Ogbizi said “We
don’t have Kanu’s father in police net.”
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