Men of the Nigeria Police Force have shot one of the four suspected armed group said to be regrouping to enforce the sit-at-home to mark the 2024 Biafra Heroes Remembrace Day.

SP Tochukwu Ikenga in a statement on Wednesday, said one of the four armed gang was demobilized along the new River Niger bridge by Oba flyover in the Idemili South of Onitsha market area in Anambra State with three other gang members escaping with bullets wound.

It would be recalled that the Indigenous People of Biafra has insisted that the May 30 sit-at-home remains sacrosanct across the South-East and that every resident in the zone should stay at home in commemoration of “Biafra Heroes Day.”

Early photographs made available few minutes ago indicated that some group of people suspected to be members of unknown gunmen gang acting as Biafra Secessionist armed group have began the Biafra Heroes Day remembrace commemoration with a candlelight at their various camps as early as early morning night of Thursday.

The photographs are part of the attached photos added to the feature image of this story.

According to SP Tochukwu Ikenga, “following the intel gathered, the operatives today 29 May, 2024 by 2pm laid ambush on the miscreants along Oba flyover, Idemili south, intercepted a gang of four armed men operating on motorbikes and demobilized one of the miscreants while the other three escaped the scene with bullet injuries.

The Operatives recovered a locally made Barreta pistol, four expanded cartridges, two phones, and some signals/initials showing unpatriotism and disloyalty to the Nigerian government.

Preliminary information shows the armed men were regrouping to enforce illegal sit-at-home tomorrow 30th May 2024. Meanwhile, the operatives are on the trail of the three armed men who escaped the scene.

To this end, the CP charges the Operatives to sustain the tempo of the Onslaught against the criminal elements and continue to deny them the space they enjoy to commit havoc in the State”.

Meanwhile, reports from Enugu State on Wednesday indicated that ahead of the Thursday’s Biafra day Sit-at-home unknown gunmen attacked Nkwo market  at Ibagwa-Aka community in Igbo-Eze South Local Government of Enugu State and caused heavy damages on traders and vehicle road users.

Commemts from residents indicated that the people of Nkalagu Obukpa, Itchi, Unadu, Akpanya, Obukpa, Ovoko, Ibagwa, Okpuje, Iheaka, Iheakpu, and other villages whose mothers earn their livelihood from the attacked Nkwo market suffered a lot of damages and losses in their business.

To this end, SP Tochukwu Ikenga in a statement said: “the Anambra State Police Command has become cognizant of the activities of criminal elements disseminating, threatening voice-overs and violent videos in an attempt to enforce illegal sit-at-home directives and instill fear among the residents of Anambra

It is imperative to inform the public that actionable intelligence indicates that these individuals, in their bid to enforce the unlawful sit-at-home order, fabricate threatening voice-over recordings and circulate outdated videos of violent incidents, some of which did not occur within the state or even the country.

The Command is fully aware of these secessionist activities and urges the law-abiding citizens of Anambra to disregard such propaganda. Rest assured, the Police, along with other security agencies, have mobilized law enforcement resources to ensure the safety and security of every citizen in the state.

As a recent example, on May 29, 2024, at approximately 2:00 PM, Police operatives laid an ambush on miscreants along Oba flyover in Idemili South. This led to the interception of a gang of four armed men operating on motorbikes. During the encounter, one miscreant was apprehended, while the other three managed to evade capture, sustaining bullet injuries in the process. The operatives recovered a locally made Barreta pistol, four expended cartridges, two phones, and incriminating evidence indicative of unpatriotic and disloyal behavior towards the Nigerian government

In light of these developments, the Commissioner of Police, CP Nnaghe Obono Itam, assures the people of Anambra State that their safety remains the utmost priority of the Police Command. In case of any security concerns, citizens are encouraged to contact the command’s control room at 07039194332 or the respective Area Commands”

In an earlier statement, SP Tochukwu Ikenga said that the Commissioner of Police has deployed operatives of Schools Protection Squad (SPS) led by the Assistant Commissioner of Police Operation Department of the Command to ensure the safety of school children taking their school leaving certificate exams today Thursday, May 30, 2024.

The Police command spokesperson, released the phone numbers of various commands in the state as stated below:

The Commissioner of Police CP Nnaghe Obono Itam today 29/5/2024 complements the already emplaced Joint Security Force comprising of the Army, Navy, Civil Defense, and other sister Agencies engaged in visibility policing patrols that this dynamic and potent to address any security concerns, especially against criminal elements enforcing illegal sit at home in the State, by the deployment of the Operatives of Schools Protection Squad (SPS) led by the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Operations Department to ensure the safety of students in the State, for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) starting on May 30th, 2024 Nationwide.

• “Area Command Awka: 08033382097
• Area Command Aguata: 08066069335
• Area Command Ihiala: 08136025679
• Area Command Otucha: 08035602795
• Area Command Onitsha: 08033979326
• Area Command Nnewi: 08028593542
• Area Command Orafite: 08066664445
• Area Command Ogidi: 08037505738

The Schools Protection Squad (SPS) is an
initiative of the Inspector General of Police IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, designed to protect the schools, students, and institutional infrastructure. The Squad is equipped with relevant assets and advanced training to effectively respond to security challenges facing educational institutions. The personnel dispatched and tasked to intensify robust patrols around schools and vulnerable institutions in all the locations in the State.

The CP while wishing the Candidates Success in their Exams advised them to be of good behavior and not to engage in any form of examination malpractice.

Also in the event to request security service or to report any security-related incident or otherwise, call us on 07039194332 for a prompt response. The ‘npf rescue me app’ is also available for free download on both Android and Apple IOS, for Android and iPhone users respectively”.

As part of preparation to ensure no sit-at-home tak place in Anambra State, the Police Command Spokesperson, Tockukwu Ikenga in a statement one week ago, said: “Anambra Police Operatives today 23 May, 2024 by 11:30am intercepted a gang member of a notorious gun-running syndicate in Onitsha, recovered seven brand new Jojef magnum pump action guns, in a concealed bag.

This breakthrough is following the practical intelligence and tact-led Policing strategy of the Commissioner of Police, CP Nnaghe Obono Itam to frustrate criminal plans, especially on the intel received over time about planned attacks by unlawful group, secessionists to enforce illegal sit-at-home on 30th May 2024.

The Operatives laid ambush at the identified location at Creek Road, Onitsha and the convener/ gunrunner on sighting the Police abandoned the bag and took to his heels.

To this end, the CP directs a manhunt on the notorious gun runner and the gang and urges Ndi Anambra to sustain the provision of security information as the Police will continue to act upon it, to be able to frustrate the criminal intentions of the non-state actors in the State”.