A 26-year-old alleged army deserter, Ebeje Nnamdi, suspected to be the trainer of members of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has been arrested by Police in Anambra. Nnamdi was arrested alongside three others for their alleged involvement in armed robbery in Iyi Oji area of Anambra on Wednesday.
The Police Commissioner in the state, Mr Garba Umar, presented the suspects to newsmen on Thursday at the police command headquarters in Amawbia, near Awka. Umar said the police recovered 336 rounds of 7.22x39mm, AK-47 live ammunition from the alleged (IPOB) members and their trainer.
“Police equally recovered three empty AK-47 riffles with magazines, one locally made double barrel pistol with two live cartridges, (IPOB) wears, IPOB flags, muffler, criminal charms and ATM cards. The Army deserter was formally of the 20 Mechanised Battalion, Taraba, in 2014 before he disappeared,’’ Umar said.
The commissioner said Nnamdi became a member of a six-man gang responsible for the attacks and killings of policemen at nipping points, robberies at fuel stations including that of Bukachi filling station, Eziowelle, both in Onitsha on Aug. 31, 2017.
Others who were arrested alongside Nnamdi were 26-year-old Onyebuchi Peter Ali and Ugwuokpe Nnaemeka, he said. Umar said their case was under investigation and that they would be charged to court after investigation.