Sixteen persons including a pastor with the Holy Blessed Trinity Sabbath Church, Orlu, Imo State and Michael Uba, a prophet with the Association of Jewish Faith, have been arrested by the police for their alleged involvement in a series of violent attacks on security operatives and facilities in some states of the Federation, particularly in the South-Eastern part of Nigeria.
Frank Mba, a Commissioner of Police and Force Public Relations Officer, said in a statement on Sunday, that the arrest of the suspects resulted from painstaking and tireless efforts by operatives of the Nigeria Police working in collaboration with personnel of the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Airforce, to bring to justice persons responsible for the emerging trend of attacks on security personnel and wanton destruction of security facilities and operational assets.
He said investigations revealed that Cletus Nwachukwu Egole aka Alewa, a pastor with the Holy Blessed Trinity Sabbath Church, Orlu, Imo State and Michael Uba, aged 33, a prophet with the Association of Jewish Faith, were the masterminds of various attacks on security personnel and providing spiritual cover for the gang.
Mba noted that apart from donating his late brother’s farmland for use as a hideout and training camp for the gang, 60-years-old Pastor Egole, a native of Orlu in Imo State, also offered his house for use by the gang members to plan their nefarious operations.
Among the suspects in police custody are, Ugochukwu Samuel a.k.a Biggy, a 28-year-old native of Arochukwu Local Government Area of Abia State; Raphael Idang, 31-year-old native of Odukpani Local Government Area of Cross River state, and 12 others
“All the suspects were implicated in multiple felonies committed across several states in the South-Eastern part of the federation in the course of investigation”, [part of the statement read, adding that the suspects were arrested in various parts of the country following sustained, and intelligence-driven sting operations.
“Police investigations clearly established and linked the suspects to several incidents of attacks and murder of security personnel as well as stealing, unlawful possession of firearms, arson and malicious damage to operational assets of military and law enforcement agents”, Mba emphasized.
Specifically, he said investigations revealed that the duo of Ugochukwu Samuel and Raphael Idang were among those who attacked policemen on duty at a checkpoint on December 24, 2020, along Orlu-Ihiala Road in Imo state where two police officers were killed and a Police Hilux patrol van set ablaze.
“In addition, both were part of a larger group that attacked a police reconnaissance team on 13th January, 2021 killing one police officer. Ugochukwu Samuel a.k.a Biggy, who sustained a bullet wound during an attack by his gang on a military convoy in which some soldiers were killed and weapons carted away, was subsequently arrested while receiving treatment in a hospital. Both suspects confessed to being active members of IPOB and ESN”, Mba added.
A total of nine AK47 rifles, five other sophisticated firearms, 17 AK47 Magazines, 549 AK47 live ammunition, 10 Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), camouflage bullet proof vests, walkie talkies and other incriminating items, were allegedly recovered from the suspects all of whom will be charged to court on conclusion of investigation, according to Mba.
Meanwhile, the IGP Mohammed Adamu, has vowed that no murderer will go unpunished, just as he warned that the Force will not tolerate any further attack on its personnel or any citizen by individuals or group under any guise whatsoever.
He assured that law enforcement agents had gathered sufficient intelligence on the attackers and are closing up on scores of suspects already implicated in the attacks either directly or indirectly by financing, aiding and abetting the criminals.
