Police Arrest Over 20 IPOB Members

The Police have arrested at least 20 members of the proscribed group, the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB).

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Anambra State Command, SP Haruna Mohammed, confirmed this in a statement issued on Friday.

According to him, on the May 21, at about 11:00 pm, the Force got a report that the IPOB members came out in large numbers, moving around with dangerous weapons and hoisting flags of the proscribed group on poles and billboards along the Asaba-Onitsha expressway in Onitsha.

Following the report, Police operatives were then said to have rushed to the scene in order to prevent them from mounting the flags, but they engaged the Police with catapults and stones.

However, 12 suspects were arrested and over fifty flags with different inscriptions of IPOB/MASSOB and Biafran independent movements (BIM) were seized as exhibits.

In the same vain on May 22, at about 7:00 am, there was another intelligence report that some misguided elements suspected to be IPOB Members were sighted at various locations mounting Biafran Flags along Ekwulobia -Uga road in Aguata LGA of Anambra State.

Mohammed said Police patrol teams immediately went after them and arrested another 12 suspects while others escaped.

Other items recovered included: 72 flags and other items with Biafran inscriptions.

According to the PPRO, the case is currently being investigated.