Paul Osuyi, Asaba
Delta State Police Command yesterday paraded 182 suspects arrested for various crimes in the state in the past three months.
The suspects were arrested for offences of cultism, robbery, kidnapping, child trafficking, burglary, arson, car snatching, ritual, drug peddling, gun running and unlawful possession of firearms.
Commissioned of Police in the state, Mr. Hafiz Inuwa, who paraded the suspects in Asaba, also disclosed that the command uncovered a training camp of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in Ibusa, Oshimili North Local Government Area of the state.
Inuwa said operatives of the command traced several rifles snatched from his men to the IPOB training camp where 13 AK-47 rifles and one human skull were recovered.
He said following series of attacks on policemen at nipping points and snatching of police rifles by suspected members of the IPOB in Asaba, the command sustained efforts in the investigation of the attacks.
Inuwa added that the efforts “yielded results when some principal suspects with strong links to IPOB were arrested and made confessional statements.”
He listed those arrested to include Ejiofor, Okah, Ashaka, Nwoba, Onyeka Ezinna, Chima, Okpara, Ishiguzo and Ndiogulu.
According to him, operatives acted on the confession of the arrested key suspects, to recover 10 AK47 rifles and 10 magazines with 200 rounds of ammunition snatched from policemen at Ugwunwosu camp of the IPOB.
He said one of the suspects, Ndiogulu led operatives to IPOB training camp at Ibusa, where one AK-47 rifle with its magazine and 26 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition snatched from safer highway patrol team along Ogwashi/Kwale road in January this year was recovered from where they were buried in the camp.
Inuwa said two other suspects also led operatives to Idumugo forest in Okpanam where two AK-47 rifles, one smoke gun, one smoke canister, four AK-47 magazines, 212 7.62mm AK-47 ammunition, one MP3, a set of Allen keys and one hand bag were recovered.
He further said that the Dragon team 19 on lockdown enforcement/stop and search along Ughelli/Patani road, arrested one Obasere ‘m’ 50 years in possession of two new single barrel guns wrapped and concealed in a bag on a red colour Daylong motorcycle with registration number Delta AGB 204 AV. He said upon investigation, the suspect claimed that he bought the firearms from one Engr. Young of Enwhen town in Isoko North Local Government Area.