Police Dismantle IPOB/ESN Syndicates, Rescue Over 100 Victims in Imo
The Imo State Police Command has recorded significant breakthroughs in its ongoing operations against violent criminal groups, including the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN).
In a series of coordinated operations led by the Commissioner of Police, Aboki Danjuma, law enforcement officers arrested thousands of suspects, recovered a vast cache of arms and explosives, and rescued over 100 victims from kidnappers and trafficking rings.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Saturday by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Okoye Henry, who attributed the successes to increased public cooperation and timely intelligence.
“In the past six months, operatives from the Anti-Kidnapping Unit and other tactical squads arrested 2,785 suspects involved in kidnapping, terrorism, murder, armed robbery, cultism, and child trafficking,” Okoye said.
The operations also led to the rescue of 58 kidnapped victims and the recovery of 42 abducted children, many of whom have since been reunited with their families.
Among the items recovered were two General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMGs), 14 AK-47 rifles, 20 pump-action shotguns, four fabricated rocket launchers, seven gas-cylinder bombs, locally made hand grenades, live ammunition, cartridges, Biafran flags, and various fetish items believed to be used for criminal purposes.
Okoye highlighted several high-profile arrests, including Amechi Onyebuchi (38), Ozioma Ihedoro (39), Cyprian Ikpegbunam (50), and Uchenna Opara (30), who were identified as key IPOB/ESN operatives. They were allegedly responsible for multiple attacks on security facilities and government infrastructure in Njaba Local Government Area.
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“Acting on credible intelligence, a combined team from the Anti-Kidnapping Unit and other tactical squads raided an IPOB/ESN camp in Njaba. During the raid, the suspects were apprehended, and sophisticated weapons were seized. Under interrogation, they confessed to the abduction and murder of one Emmanuel Oguzie, which they claimed was carried out under the instruction of a wanted ESN commander known as ‘Asari’,” Okoye stated.
In a separate case, two suspected kidnappers — Uche Nwachukwu (24) and Chinonso Ozirim (32) — were arrested for abducting one Anayo Iwuoha from his residence in Akabo on June 20, 2025. The victim was held at Ozirim’s home while a ₦2.2 million ransom was collected. He was eventually rescued by a joint police-vigilante team, and a manhunt is underway for other members of the syndicate.
Okoye also announced the arrest of a wanted cultist, Wisdom Chinazaekpere Ogbonna (36) from Orlu LGA, a known member of the Vikings Confraternity. Ogbonna had been on the run for two years after he and three accomplices allegedly murdered a young man nicknamed “Pikin,” who was wrongly identified as a rival cultist.
Ogbonna was initially arrested by operatives of the Orlu Division for burglary and theft. However, further profiling linked him to the cult-related homicide, prompting his transfer to the Anti-Kidnapping Unit for deeper investigation.
“All arrested suspects will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations,” Okoye added.
Reassuring residents of the police command’s unwavering commitment to public safety, the PPRO urged citizens to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities through the command’s emergency lines: 0813 478 3532 or 0815 802 4755.
“With sustained collaboration, we will make Imo State safer and more secure for all,” Okoye concluded.
By PRNigeria
