Abia Police Command on Wednesday, paraded nine suspected members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and Biafra Independent Movement (BIM) it arrested in Aba and other parts of the state.
The paraded suspects are; Ikedi Orji (38), Samuel Elem (38), Festus Oko (32), Michael Okoroafor (45), and Okoro Chukwu (33), John Ogbu (44), Cyril Elobuike (45), Dominic Onovo (56) and Alika Chukwuemeka (52).
While parading the suspects at the Police Officers Mess in Umuahia, the state capital, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Chris Ezike items recovered them included two motorcycles, Biafran identify cards, one Biafran magazine, one Biafran National Anthem booklet, one Biafran flag.
Also recovered include three blue shirts being uniform of the outfit with the group’s badges and service number.
According to Ezike, some of the pro-Biafra loyalists were arrested by soldiers on duty at Abia State University Uturu military check point.
He said that the soldiers intercepted five suspects all from Ebonyi while on their way to Owerri, Imo capital on 25th of November while four members of the group were intercepted near Lokponta in Umunneochi on 26th November by the patrol team to Mbala Division.
The Police boss stated that the suspects while admitting to be members of MASSOB/BIM, however denied being members of IPOB.
“Intelligence information is indicative that suspects may be part of the IPOB Group that unleashed mayhem in some states recently,” he said.
Some of the suspects during interview by newsmen said they were only travelling to Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu Library, for the birthday/memorial lecture of Ojukwu, the late Biafran warlord before they were arrested by the security agent.