Men of the Imo State Police Command have arrested a 50-year-old suspected member of the Eastern Security Network (ESN), Simeon Onigbo, for allegedly manufacturing explosives for the group.
A statement by CSP Michael Abattam, spokesperson of the state police command, stated that the suspect has confessed to the crime and promised to reveal the hideouts of the terror group.
According to the statement, the command received credible intelligence on April 20 about the hideout where some alleged ESN members were manufacturing Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) used in attacking police stations and government facilities in the state.
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Police operatives were immediately mobilised to the hideout, located at Uba Umuaka in Njaba Local Government Area of Imo, and the camp was raided.
“In the course of the raid, one Simeon Onigbo, aged 50, was arrested. The suspect admitted to being the manufacturer of most of the ( IEDs) used in attacking police stations in and outside the state.
“On searching the hideout, items recovered include one IED, 58 pieces of Cannon Steel Pipe, two Chisels, one Monday Hammer, one bag of Potassium Nitrate and substances suspected to be sulphur weighing 30 pounds.
“Other items are: dry Sand weighing 40 pounds and red sand weighing 10 pounds, gun powder weighing 30 pounds, spa half bag of charcoal, 30 pieces of Electronic Motorcycle Batteries and Seven Lengths of eight millimeters iron rods,” he said.
The Command’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit (EOD) had taken over the recovered bomb for technical analysis and detonation.
He added that the suspect had made a useful statement and also mentioned members of his gangs outside the state who patronise him.
