16th December, 2022
Police operatives in Ebonyi have discovered what they described as the biggest bomb factory in the Southeast being operated by the Indigenous People of Biafra(IPOB) and its militia arm, Eastern Security Network(ESN).
The bomb factory was discovered during a search on premises of some IPOB members after an encounter with police operatives, Ebonyi Police Command, Chris Anyanwu, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday
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.
“During the gun duel that ensued while the hoodlums were tracked down and pursued along Agba-Isu road on Wednesday 14/12/2022, 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.
A swooped on the houses of the Commander and others, the following massive incriminating exhibits were recovered: 30 pieces of IEDs using safety fuses primed in non-electric initiator/detonator; 63 wraps of Super power 90mm gelatin; two Solar prime 90mm gelatin; 16 Danger 90 gelatin; 20 Ideal power 90 gelatin 50mm.
239 pieces of plain Non-electric detonators, 14 pieces of primed nonels, 99 pieces of one-inch safety fuses, One complete roll of Safety fuse.
Four long-range riot gunners, 124 smoke cartridges, four police uniforms belonging to slain Policemen, a defaced/hand-painted Toyota Sienna space bus, First-Aid box, bag containing foodstuff, among others,” the statement said.