Ebonyi police recover more weapons

Some of the suspects with recovered weapons

By Dennis Agbo, Abakaliki
The Ebonyi state police command has made another breakthrough in its efforts at resolving the protracted Ezza/Ezillo communal war which started in May 2008.  The communal strife has claimed no fewer than one hundred lives including innocent commuters travelling along Enugu-Abakaliki highway.

The command has recovered from the buffer zone, another set of arms and ammunition that includes: four K2 rifles, three locally- made single barrel guns, one locally- made double barrel shot gun, one single barrel shot gun, 26 rounds of 5.56 life ammunition and a cutlass from an isolated spot, reasonably suspected to have been concealed by the suspected militants who unleashed terror in the area.

Briefing newsmen at the State Command Headquarters, Abakaliki, the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Diipo Ayeni said investigation into the criminal act is in progress and all hands on are deck to apprehend those who were in possession of the recovered arms and ammunition.

He also refuted an earlier report in the media that a High Court in Abakaliki has discharged and acquitted 31 suspects of the war who were earlier arraigned in connection with the crime. Ayeni rather stated that the police merely withdrew the charges against the suspects so as to re-draft the charges for better prosecution of the suspected sponsors of the two year- old communal war.

The police commissioner further disclosed that the command was able to locate two charred bodies suspected to be victims of the strife in the interior area of the buffer zone where the militants used to inhabit, adding that his men have completely taken charge of the area that now made the Enugu-Abakaliki road passable.

It would be recalled that a high -powered police squad with helicopter was dispatched to Ebonyi in April by the Inspector General of Police, Ogbonna Onovo which went and dislodged the militants that held the state hostage in the protracted communal war brought about by claims of land ownership between the Ezza and Ezillo of Isihelu local government area of the state.

CP Anyeni also said his command was able to foil a kidnap attempt on an 11 year-old, Nonso Nwagu of Nsokere village in Ezza South local government.  The incident took place after his father, Emeka Nwagu sent him to buy kerosene at a nearby shop.  He was trailed and kidnapped by some hoodlums on a motorcycle. “The police were alerted and they immediately swung in action. The suspects were given a hot pursuit and later arrested at Ukwuachi in Ikwo LGA. The victim was however rescued unhurt,” disclosed Ayeni.

He also said that a crime prevention strategy adopted by the command is yielding some positive results as detectives on June 2, swooped on a criminal hide -out and recovered a Rugger pistol with 19 rounds of life ammunition while effort is being intensified to apprehend the hoodlums.

In another development, one Pius Omanyi was arrested on a tip-off for allegedly stealing the sum of five hundred thousand naira, property of one Chinedu Zeph. “The suspect was interrogated and he confessed to the crime.  The money has been recovered and the suspect will soon be arraigned in court.” Continuing on the feats of his command, the Ebonyi CP said that one Effiong Ewa Ifere Christopher and three others at large went to one Oriaku Sunday’s house at Ogbonga Street in Abakaliki and robbed the victim of a laptop and other accessories valued at over one hundred and twenty thousand naira. “The suspect will soon appear in court.”

Mr. Ayeni stated that his command has stepped up crime prevention measures by increasing patrols especially on weekends, boasting that the state is now a no-go area for criminals and the environment peaceful for business to thrive. He also promised to deal with any substantiated case of politicians in the state who engage in brandishing superior arms openly thereby terrorizing members of their communities.

“I also wish to assure members of the public that the command is totally committed to ensuring that adequate security of lives and property is guaranteed as, no stone will be left unturned to dislodge all criminals from the state. I once again call on members of the public to give credible information to the police since security is a collective responsibility,” charged Ayeni.