Police’ll continue to raid IPOB leader’s family house –CP
From Chuks Onuoha, Umuania
Commissioner of Police (CP) in Abia State, Anthony Michael Ogbizi, has said the police will continue to visit the country home of leader of proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), as long as they keep getting intelligence reports that arms are being stockpiled there.
Ogbizi stated this yesterday, when he interacted with newsmen at the Police Officers Mess, Factory Road, Umuahia.
The CP reacted over a raid on Kanu’s home, last Sunday.
He said all items recovered there were itemised and marked as exhibits and that nothing was stolen during the joint military/police operation there.
He said the police and army had intelligence report about the building and those around it, which made them storm the house that day.
Ogbizi said during the raid, lethal materials were recovered including Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) such as petrol bombs, double barrel rifles, IPOB staff of office, insignia and some vital documents.
He also said they arrested a suspected technician of the group, while some documents, “which we are perusing, contain vital information about the group, which we are going to investigate thoroughly.
“We even noticed a Biafran flag mounted on top of a telecommunication mast, very close there. We are going to the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) through which we are going to sanction all telecommunication operators whose mast are being used to hoist such flags.”
Ogbizi also disclosed they are investigating all telephone conversations between IPOB leaders, including text messages.
“We are going to go after all those who are found culpable, they should stop hiding to give the public false information.”
He noted that the joint military operation is targeted at curbing IPOB activities as leaving them could lead to them carrying arms, which may lead to chaos.
On the issue of police excesses, the Abia CP said the media should find a way to reach the CP or the area commanders to tell them what their men are doing. “After making the report, you leave the rest to us and see what we are going to do.”
Ogbizi seized the forum to solicit for the support of newsmen in the state, saying newsmen cover more areas than the police. “We need your support for the police in the state to do their work well.”
He announced that he will be holding a stakeholders meeting with all concerned in the state, including traditional rulers, town unions, president generals of various communities as well as student unions, on the way forward as regards security.
The new CP said his aim in the state is to reduce crime rate to the barest minimum, stressing that in no distant time, residents of the state will be free to walk the streets of the state without fear or any form of harassment from hoodlums.
On the upcoming Christmas period, Ogbizi said the command is ready to combat crime and ensure the safety of those who are living in the state and those who may be coming in to spend holidays.
