The Ebonyi Police Command, on Friday, said it arrested no fewer than 15 persons suspected to have carried out the shootings by alleged members of the Indigenous People of Biafra at the New Market and Ishieke areas of the Abakaliki metropolis, on Tuesday.
While shooting, the suspects forced people to obey the sit-at-home order issued by a splinter group of IPOB, causing panic among residents which them not to come out of their homes for five days, between July 3 and July 7, 2023.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Faleye Olayele, told journalists in Abakaliki on Friday that among the 15 suspects arrested were two herbalists, Okwudili Otozi and Nnenna Ali.
“They have attacked our area commander and burnt our vehicle. They have been terrorizing the state. On July 4, they came to Ishieke firing sporadically and that was on Tuesday.
“I want to tell you that 15 of them have been apprehended. We recovered arms and charms of different kinds,” he said.
The police boss said the suspects were preparing for another attack on Friday when they were arrested by operatives of the command.
“This shows that our officers are dedicated to their duties; the arrest was made possible by our men through the information we got,” he said.
One of the herbalists, Otozi, however, said he was forced to join the gang.
“I did not know that they wanted to operate in Ebonyi; they came to me and requested for medicine and I gave it to them, after which they forced me to join them to the bush for further preparations.
“Please, I was forced to follow them after I gave them the medicine,” he claimed.
