… Police parade 60 gunmen in Ebonyi
17 year- old suspect, yesterday, said his job was to give information to criminals in Ebonyi state on any facility, personnel they want to attack.
The suspect, Elom Daniel, said he has never handled any rifle talk more of killing soldiers or policemen in any operation they carried out in Ebonyi State where he operates.
He made the confession on Monday, at the police headquarters, during the parade of 60 criminals in Ebonyi by the state commissioner of Police, CP Aliyu Garba.
Daniel while speaking to journalists, said; “I have not been handling any rifle talk more of killing soldiers or policemen, I always give information. I did it on Ishieke police check point, the one of Amasiri junction, the one of Onueke and the one of CPS. I monitor places for attack before the attack.
“I normally visit people in the police station and with that opportunity, I gathered information from there. After that I will draw the map for attack on the police station and give to my group members.
“It was my cousin that asked me to join the gang, that after the freedom, my 50 generation will be enjoying the freedom.
“It was my local government commander, Francis Nkwede(Onyeami) that made me their Spy commander. He is from Izzi local government area of Ebonyi state, while I am from Ohaukwu local government area of the state. I am 17 years
“We had a meeting on 19th August, 2019 and the aim of the meeting was to start attacking the police, that the police normally intimidate south east people especially the youths, that Fulani herdsmen will commit crime and will not be arrested while if Igbo youth commit, the person will be maltreated.
“Our state Commander then being Onyebuchi told us that after commanders’ meeting, there will attacks on policemen and police facilities. It was after that that we started attacks on police and military.
Meanwhile, Police in Ebonyi, Monday, June 21, 2020 paraded 60 gunmen in Ebonyi State for various offences.
Parading the suspects, CP Garba, hinted that during their operation carried out at Agubia, in Ikwo local government area of Ebonyi state, on May 23rd, 2021, 39 of the suspects were arrested
He said during the operation, those arrested included a native doctor from Rivers State who came to fortify members of the gang, and the sector commander of the gang.
He said the group’s informant, Ebube Elom, 17 years old, was also arrested and he took police to the hideouts of some of their members.
The suspects according to him, confessed to the crimes, while one of the suspects sustained bullet wound during one of the operations and he died at Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, where he was rushed to for treatment.
He stated: “At about 1830hrs of 23/5/2021, while acting on credible information that criminals were meeting at Agubia Ikwo in the resident of one Ebube Elom, ‘m’ age 31yrs, their suspected Sector Commander.
“The said meeting had in attendance a Cross River State based native doctor (Ezemuo), who was invited to fortify members of the group with marks on different parts of their bodies, as antidotes to bullets in preparation to attack Onueke Divisional Headquarters and INEC office both in Ezza South Local Government Area of the State by 8:30pm of same day, 23rd May, 2021.
“On the strength of the information, the command swiftly deployed team of Police Operatives in collaboration with Neighborhood watch of Ikwo, in the process thirty-nine (39) male suspects, made up of indigenes of Ebonyi State and two non indigenes from neighboring Abia State were arrested and large quantities of juju charms were recovered from them together with living creatures such as Tortoise and hawk.
“Eight (8) of these suspects made useful statements to the Police, while one of them, Elom Daniel, ‘m’ age 17yrs took Police Operatives to their hideout at Agbaja-Izzi community in Abakaliki Local Government Area of the State, where the owner of the house escaped leaving behind his wife and a child. Upon intensive search of the house/premises, the following items were recovered;
“One (1) Ak 47 Riffle with Thirty-five (35) live ammunitions. Two (2) AR Riffles with Eight (8) live ammunitions, Eight (8) magazines. Two (2) locally fabricated Improvised Explosive (tested and certified). Five (5) Machetes, one Police belt, some Juju charms.
“Elom Daniel, narrated that he specialized in drawing the map of any planned area to be attacked by the group before execution; he further admitted that the meeting at their State Sector commander’s resident was to attack Onueke Divisional Headquarters, INEC office and Ebube-Agu Security Outfit on the date mentioned above.
“Elom further stated that his group was responsible for the attack on the Army checkpoint at Amasiri in Afikpo North Local Government Area on 26th March, 2021, where two Army officers were killed and their Rifles taken away.
” He also claimed that his group was responsible for the attack on Central Police Station Abakaliki the #ENDSARS protests, where a Police Inspector and one other were killed and the inspector’s rifle carted away. One of the AK 47 rifle recovered when crossed checked was found to be the same Police Rifle that was stolen by the hoodlums from the late Inspector at the Central Police Station Abakaliki, during the said #ENDSARS protests.
“Elom Daniel, further narrated that his gang were also responsible for the attack at Onueke Police Station on 8th January, 2021, which claimed the lives of three Policemen and the attack on Nigeria Police Force Animal branch Personnel attached to Agricultural Quarantine checkpoint, along Donkey Market Ezzangbo in Ohaukwu L.G.A of the State on 23rd March, 2021, where two (2) Assault rifles were carted away by the hoodlums. The two rifles are among the recovered rifles.
“In a follow-up investigation, Elom Daniel, led the Operatives to another Kingpin hideout who on sighting the Police took to flight, and in an attempt to maim him, was grievously wounded, the suspect was rushed to the Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki (FETHA), where he gave up the ghost and his remains deposited at the same hospital mortuary for preservation.
“Again, following the attack on Ugbodo Police Divisional Headquarters in Ebonyi Local Government Area of the State on the 22nd May, 2021, which our officers gallantly repelled and two of the hoodlums including a dismissed soldier by name Israel Onyibe, a native of Mmbamili-Nkaliki in Ebonyi Local Government Area of the State, were shot dead and one AK-47 rifle was recovered from him while two (2) Policemen paid the supreme price.
”Police operatives from this Command on credible intelligence arrested four (4) male suspects in connection with the attack, namely; Joseph Nwali, Ozigbo Jonah, aka Ojukwu, Nwankwo Jacob, Nwali Chibueze, all of Amachi-Igbegu in Izzi Local Government Area of the State.
“Jonah Ozibo, aka Ojukwu admitted to the crime and led the Police operatives to their hideout at Amachi-Igbegu to apprehend their gang members, in the process, one Ebuka Urehu, and other members, on sighting the Police engaged them in gun duel and during the encounter, Ebuka Urehu met his waterloo while others escaped with bullet wounds. One Ak-47 rifle with thirty (30) around of ammunitions and other incriminating items were recovered.