The Abia State police command has arrested nine suspected members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and Biafra Independence Movement (BIM).
The Commissioner of Police, Mr Chris Ezike disclosed this on Wednesday in Umuahia, NAN reports.
The suspects are identified as Michael Okoroafor (45), Ikedi Orji (38), Samuel Elem (38), Okoro Chukwu (33) andFestus Oko (32) .
Others are John Ogbu (44), Cyril Elobuike (45), Alika Chukwuemeka (52) andDominic Onovo (56).
Narrating how the suspects were arrested, Ezike said the soldiers on duty at Abia State University Uturu military check point intercepted the first five suspects all from Ebonyi en route Owerri, Imo, on Nov. 25.
He said the last four suspects from Enugu en route Owerri were intercepted near Lokponta in Umunneochi on Nov. 26, by the patrol team to Mbala Division.
While parading them, Ezike added that they admitted to being members of MASSOB and BIM, but denied belonging to IPOB.
“Intelligence information is indicative that suspects may be part of the IPOB group that unleashed mayhem in some states recently,” he said.
Items recovered from the suspects included two motorcycles, Biafran identify cards, one Biafran magazine, one Biafran National Anthem booklet and a Biafran flag.
Other items also recovered include three blue uniform shirts of the outfit, badges and service numbers from the suspects.
Some of the suspects who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) said they were only travelling to Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu Library, for the birthday/memorial lecture of the late Biafran warlord.
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