• Recover charms, explosives, others
Some crack operatives of the Imo State Police Command have arrested a suspected native doctor, Benneth Okoli, 49, who allegedly prepared charms for the bandits in the state.
The Command’s spokesperson, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), Michael Abattam, who disclosed this, yesterday, in a statement, said that the suspect allegedly worked in tandem with the outlawed groups and unknown gunmen, who attacked the ancestral home-town of the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, in Omuma, Oru East Local Council of the state.
According to Abattam, the arrest was led by a tactical team and special forces, led by an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Benjamin Osuji, with the recovery of charms, arms, Indian hemp and others.
The statement read: “Sequel to the recent attack on Omuma Police Station in Oru East Local Council of Imo State by bandits suspected to be the remnants of the IPOB/ ESN terror groups, the Commissioner of Police immediately dispatched the command’s tactical team and Special forces led by ACP Benjamin Osuji, the second in command of the command’s Department of Operations, to Omuma for a discreet investigation and arrest of the bandits involved in the attack of the police station.
“After a diligent forensic and technical intelligence gathering, the team was able to trace the location of the native doctor’s shrine that has been preparing charms for bandits at Akuma in Oru East Local Council of Imo State where information from reliable sources revealed that the bandits fortified themselves against bullets and knives in the shrine before attacking the police station.
“The shrine was immediately cordoned off and the team tactically went in where the native doctor, Benneth Okoli “M “ age 49 years of Akuma in Oru East Local Council of Imo State was arrested.
“On searching the shrine, one locally-made Improvised Explosive Devices, various charms and weeds suspected to be Indian hemp, in a bag, were recovered and taken to the station.”
“The suspect, on interrogation, made useful statements and is currently assisting the police to arrest the remnants of his gang presently on the run.
“The Commissioner of Police, Imo State Command, while condemning the dastardly act in all entirety, commended the gallantry displayed by the officers and men of the command, urging them to sustain the tempo.
“In the same vein, the CP thanked Imo people for their undaunted support and solicits for an all society approach to sustain the already improved security architecture in the state,” the statement concluded.
