The Police in Ebonyi State said they have uncovered the biggest bomb factory in the southeast reportedly operated by the Indigenous People of Biafra(IPOB) and its militia arm, Eastern Security Network(ESN).
TheNation Newspaper reports that the Ebonyi Police spokesperson, Chris Anyanwu made this known in a statement on Thursday in Abakaliki, capital of the State.
He said the discovery followed an operation by the Police during which its operatives engaged in a gun battle with IPOB/ESN members leading to the death of two of the separatist group members and arrest of one of the state commanders.
According to him, the Police swooped on one of the biggest and most notorious Camps of the IPOB/ESN located at Obegu, a boundary area between Onicha-Isu and Ishielu LGAs of Ebonyi State.
“The invasion of the criminals’ den was necessitated by an earlier encounter between operatives of the Command’s Tactical Teams, sequel to a credible information gathered that the hoodlums were operating/wreaking havoc in the State with a Toyota Sienna space bus which they robbed at gun point from the owner within Ishielu axis.
“A quick trail and joint effort with a team of detectives attached to Ohaukwu Division led to the arrest of Sunday Ubah a.k.a Bongo, the State Commander of the IPOB/ESN in Ebonyi State.
“The miscreant who gave revealing pieces of information about the activities and modus operandi of the criminals, initially claimed that he is their PRO and native of Umunnochi in Isuikwuato LGA, Abia State.
‘However, a scrupulous investigation aided by his antecedents/profile with the Police Command proved that he is a native of Obegu, Onicha LGA of Ebonyi State and indeed the factional Commander of the outfit in Obegu”, TheNation quoted him as saying.
He also reportedly noted that a couple of Police operatives sustained minor bullet injuries while two of the hoodlums were neutralized, one (the Commander) apprehended while others escaped with various degrees of bullet injuries.
He noted that following the gun duel, a joint team of the Command’s Tactical Teams, the Military and DSS, armed with credible information courtesy of the suspect, swooped on the houses/residences of the Commander and others, adding that search warrants were executed which led to recovery of massive incriminating exhibits.
According to him, among the discoveries were Improvised Explosive Devices and parts used in making IEDs.