The police on Friday said it arrested a 50-year-old suspected local bomb manufacturer in Imo State.
The suspect, identified as Simeon Onigbo, was alleged to be responsible for the production of the improvised explosive devices used by gunmen to attack police formations in the state.
The spokesperson for the police command, Micheal Abattam, a statement in Owerri on Friday, said the suspect was arrested at the hideout of the Eastern Security Network, “the militia wing” of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra at Uba Umuaka in the Njaba Local Government Area of the state after policemen raided the place following a tip-off on April 20.
The statement read in part, “In the course of the raid, one Simeon Onigbo ‘m’ aged 50 was arrested. The suspect admitted being the manufacturer of most of the IEDs used in attacking police stations in the state and outside the state.
“On searching the criminal hideouts, items recovered included one already prepared IED, 58 pieces of cannon steel pipe, two chisels, one Monday Hammer, one and a half bag of potassium nitrate, 30 pounds weight of sulphur, 40 pounds weight of dry sand, 10 pounds weight of red sand, 30 pounds weight of gunpowder, half bag of charcoal, 30 electronic motorcycle batteries and seven lengths of eight millimeters iron rods.
“Meanwhile, the command’s Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit has taken over the recovered bomb for technical analysis and subsequently for possible detonation. However, an investigation is ongoing. The suspect has made useful statements and mentioned members of his gangs outside the state who patronise him.”