Advertisement

Two suspected members of Eastern Security Network (ESN), the armed security outfit of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), have been taken into police custody in Imo.

Advertisement

They were arrested after a shootout with police who raided their hideout at Emekeukwu in Owerri North council area of the state.

Advertisement

The raid was carried out on Wednesday.

Several other suspected members of the group were wounded, police spokesman Michael Abattam said in a statement yesterday.

Advertisement

He said tactical teams stormed the notorious hideout after gathering of intelligence on the suspects’ activities.

Advertisement

Abattam said two persons Chibuike Iheukwu, 18, of Inyishi Ikeduru council, and Jidechi Akakem, 26, of Umuchoke Orji in Owerri North council were apprehended while others escaped.

Three locally-made pistols with 14 rounds of cartridges and substances suspected to be hard drugs were recovered from the suspects.

Upon interrogation, he said, one of the suspects, Akakem, who has been on the police wanted list, confessed to be a gang member of the late Joseph Uka Nnachi aka King of Dragons.

Akakem was said to have also admitted being among those who attacked Orji Police Station.

Abattam said both suspects admitted to be members of the Vikings confraternity allegedly headed by one Emmanuel Anyanwu aka Walking Skeleton, suspected to have supplied them with the guns and cartridges allegedly used in killing one Sir Vitalis Onuwa.

The police spokesman said there were efforts to arre st other fleeing suspects.

Source: www.thenationonlineng.net