Police have killed six suspected members of the Proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed affiliate, Eastern Security Network (ESN) in a gun duel on Monday.
They were killed when they attempted to burn down the Palace of Imo Chairman Council Of Traditional Rulers, His Royal Highness Eze Dr E. C Okeke at Orlu Local Government Area.
The incident, which took place on Monday around 8am, occured when the hoodlums in their numbers were sighted in three Hilux vehicles shooting sporadically, fiercely advancing towards the Eze’s Palace to unleash mayhem.
Confirming the incident, police spokesman CSP Michael Abattam, said on receipt of the information, the Command’s Tactical Team joined by the military immediately mobilized and rushed to the palace.
“On their way, the hoodlums on sighting the combined team engaged them in a gun duel, throwing petrol bombs. The gallant team responded, positioning themselves professionally.
In the exchange of gun fire that ensued, the hoodlums were overwhelmed due to the superior fire-power of the combined team and in the process, six of the hoodlums were neutralized while others escaped with various degrees of gunshot injuries.”
According to him, the operatives recovered one pump action gun, three blood stained cutlasses and three Hilux Vehicles suspected to have been snatched from innocent citizens.
He said calm has been restored in the area and the corpses of the neutralized bandits removed and deposited in the mortuary.
