Operatives of Imo State Police Command has arrested one Nwangwu Chiwendu, a deserter from the Nigerian Army, over the killing of several innocent people including Ahmed Gulak, an All Progressive Congress, APC chieftain and former political adviser to former President Goodluck Jonathan.

The suspect who was paraded at the Command Headquarters in Owerri, yesterday, also confessed to have led his gang to carry out several attacks on police divisions, Independent National Electoral Commission offices and other facilities in the state.

Speaking, the Commissioner, Mohammed Barde, who spoke through the Command’s Spokesman, Micheal Abattam said the suspect has been on the Command’s wanted list and was being trailed for a long time.

Items recovered from the suspect after the arrest according to the police chief included five Pump Action guns; two cut to size double barrel guns; four locally made pistols, fifty rounds of live cartridges, nine locally made hand-grenades; ESN regalia and various charms and rings.

The CP vowed to intensify efforts aimed at ridding the state of all forms of crime and criminality while assuring citizens of adequate security during and after the yuletide.

“The suspect, whose modus operandi is guerrilla-like, that is, unleashing surprise terror attack and going into hiding in neighbouring States was arrested, on 23/12/2022 at about 1030 hours in his home town, Amahohuru Nguru in Aboh Mbaise LGA, after diligent gathering of both credible and technical intelligence, during the late father’s funeral.

“The suspect who sat on a vantage position while his members were on surveillance, on sighting the police operatives, took to his heels, engaging the operatives in a shoot-out, using the crowd as shield. The gallant police operatives, retaliated, professionally and tactically to avoid bullet hitting innocent persons in the crowd.

“He was later arrested after a long chase alongside two of his gang members with bullet injuries while others escaped. Amazingly, he did not sustain any bullet injury; this he attributed to the charms worn all over his body he called “Odeshi” meaning native bullet proof.

He continued, “In the course of interrogation, the terror kingpin confessed to have enlisted into the Nigerian Army in 2013, where he trained as an engineer and became an expert in weapons handling and servicing of all heavy automatic weapons. He rose to the rank of Lance Corporal before he deserted the Army and joined the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed affiliate, Eastern Security Network (ESN) through one Ebubechukwu (surname unknown) and became the Operational Commander and Chief Trainer of the outlawed group where he claimed to have trained over one thousand members in weaponry and terror attack in their Camp located in Ogbotoukwu, a forest, in Obowu LGA of Imo State.

“He further confessed to have participated and led several killings of security personnel, attacks on INEC offices, burning of police stations, murder of innocent people, armed robbery/kidnapping, terrorism and narrated how on 30th May, 2021, they murdered the late Ahmed Gulak, the former political adviser to former President Goodluck Jonathan.

“He confessed that he led the operation and they double-crossed and stopped the Toyota Camry Taxi taking him and his friend to the airport and ordered them to come down, shot him but the bullet did not penetrate his body. So he went to him, removed the rings on his right fingers, shot and killed him along airport road.”

The Guardian