Police arrest IPOB/ESN financier, 26 others in Imo

The police in Imo State on Monday arrested a man for financing the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

The suspect, Boniface Okeke, 57, is believed to have contributed N10m in funding IPOB, Imo police spokesman, CSP Mike Abattam, said in a statement.

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CSP Abattam who said Okeke was arrested in Obor Autonomous Community of Orlu Local Government Area in connection with terrorism and attacks on security agencies and civilians, explained that: “On interrogation, he confessed of being a facilitator and financer of IPOB/Eastern Security Network (ESN) operations in the state to the tune of N10m while he was outside the country.

“He assisted the police in the arrest of some of their members and decimation of their camps in the state.”

The police spokesperson also said 26 members of ESN, the armed group of IPOB had been arrested.

He said the suspects were responsible for the bombing of Njaba and Omuma police stations.

Abattam said the breakthrough followed the arrest of one 15-year-old Emmanuel Nnaji, a native of Awala in Ideato South Local Government Area of Imo State, who led police officers to the hideout of the gunmen.

He said the suspect gave a vivid description of a hotel located in Orlu where the gunmen planned the attacks on the police stations.

He listed recovered items from the suspects to include one AK-47 rifle with two magazines loaded with 55 rounds of live ammunition, five pump action guns, four double-barrel guns and three single-barrel locally made pistols.

He said other exhibits recovered were live cartridges, charms, bags of Indian Hemp, a Biafran flag, ESN caps, four pairs of army camouflage uniform and a signboard with Biafran insignia.