Three killed, nine injured as police raid ‘terror camps’ in Imo

The Imo police command says three suspects were killed following a recent raid on “terror camps” in the state.

Michael Abbatam, the Imo command’s spokesman, said the police tactical teams raided the camps located in Okwudo in Njaba LGA and Umuorji Mgbidi in Oru West LGA of the state.

He said nine other suspects who were arrested sustained varying degrees of gunshot wounds.

“The Command’s tactical teams on 07/02/2022 at about 0400 hours, after credible intelligence gathering and surveillance of some identified camps of the terror groups in the state stormed in a commando-style, two identified terror camps located in Okwudo in Njaba LGA of Imo State and Umuorji Mgbidi in Oru West LGA of Imo State respectively, engaging the hoodlums in a fierce gun battle and in the process, successfully dislodged them due to their number and superior fire-power,” Abbatam said.

“The hoodlums who suffered heavy casualties in the process lost three of their members, while nine others were arrested with various degrees of bullet wounds.

“They are Ekene Abiaziem of Mgbidi, Emmanuel Nwabueze of Mgbidi, Ifeanyi Eze of Mgbidi, Izunna Chukwukezie of Okwudo, Ejike Onuabuike of Okwudo, Chukwuebuka Elvis Nkonta of Okwudo, Jerohm Amaiah of Okwudo, Chukwuebuka Nwachukwu of Okwudo and Chimobi Ogbonna of Awomama.

“In the course of investigation, it was revealed that these terror suspects are the ones that have been terrorising the good people of the state and most of the reported cases of kidnapping and armed robbery were perpetrated by them.”

He added that items recovered from the suspects included three automatic pump-action guns, four locally-made pistols, 21 rounds of live cartridges, four locally-made improvised explosive devices (IEDs), five sharpened cutlasses, five rounds of 7.62 mm live AK-47, and four rounds of 5.56 mm live assault rifle ammunition.

He also said one big rubber drum containing substances suspected to be Indian hemp, some quantities of hard drugs, one live tortoise, and “assorted black charms” were recovered during the raid.

Abbatam added that the suspects “have made useful statements” and volunteered to assist the police with information on how to arrest members of the gang that are on the run .