The remains of a police officer, Okpanachi Johnson, who was declared missing in Enugu State, have been discovered and exhumed from a shallow grave located within Agu-Ibeje Forest in the Enugu-Ezike community of Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area of the state.
Late Okpanachi Johnson, was serving in Igbo-Eze North Police Division of the Command, until July 30, 20222, when he was said to have been missing.
NigeriaCrime.com learned that Johnson’s corpse was recovered during a tactical and intelligence-driven dusk-to-dawn raid of the IPOB camp by policemen attached to the state command’s Tactical Squads and Operation Restore Peace, between August 11 and 12, 2022.
It was a fierce gun battle between the hoodlums and police operatives hoodlums.
However, the police officers proved their superiority in the handling of firearms, killing one of the hoodlums while others scampered to safety in different directions with varying degrees of gunshot injuries.
According to the command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Daniel Ndukwe, 12 firearms, including one AR-K2 Assault, six Pump Action guns, one locally-made Berretta-like pistol, and five locally-fabricated double-barreled guns, 98 live cartridges; two machetes, one digger, one battle axe, and one hacksaw were recovered from the camp
Also recovered were five vehicles, comprising three Toyota Sienna minivans, a Honda Pilot Jeep, and a Hiace (Hummer) bus loaded with assorted Ankara fabrics, all reported to have been snatched from their owners at different times within the area by the hoodlums, were also recovered.
Other items recovered by the operatives were 20 different brands of motorcycles, with their number plates removed; a Police bullet-proof vest; a pair of Police camouflage uniforms; a pair of Military camouflage uniforms with a cap and Military singlet.
According to the PPRO, “Others include one piece of red-black-green coloured clothing, identified as Biafra flag and another five pieces of masquerade-like attires of the said flag colours; one HP laptop with its bag; 22 different brands of mobile phones; six different brands of Mp3 players; one Canon camera; Six torchlights, three rolls of cello-tapes; one air pumping machine; one small yellow-coloured generating set; fifteen 15 fabric armless and five plastic chairs; a set of musical equipment, including band set, piano, guitar, and speakers”.
Ndukwe disclosed that the hoodlums had allegedly stolen the items after invading a church in the area, where seven school bags; a camp bed, and 21 pieces of tablespoons were also carted away.
He said that the breakthrough was recorded through the crime-fighting strategies devised by the Commissioner of Police, Enugu State Command, CP Abubakar Lawal.
“In a related development, according to the PPRO, “The Police operatives, on 08/08/2022, at about 9.15 am, recovered two AK-47 rifles with four all loaded with a total of 64 rounds of 7.62mm caliber of live ammunition (currently in the custody of 82 Division of the Nigerian Army Enugu), one locally-made cut-to-size gun, one dane gun, one Lexus RX 330 and one RX 300 Jeeps, one Honda Pilot Jeep, 25 machetes, two axes, one dagger, four phones, a Military camouflage uniform, two Forest uniform trousers, and fetish items suspected to be charms”.
He said, “The recovery is the sequel to the Operatives swift response to a distress call alleging that IPOB/ESN hoodlums invaded and set ablaze the house of a local vigilante at Oduma Community in Aninri Local Government Area on the said date”.
The CP, while commending the Operatives for the successful execution of the operations without any casualty recorded by the command, charged them to remain focused on actualizing the overall goal of riding the state of unrepentant criminal elements.
“He further calls on residents of the state to remain law-abiding, vigilant, and support the command with credible information and/or intelligence it requires to combat criminals and their activities. He also enjoins individuals and owners of medical facilities to quickly report anyone sighted with gunshot injuries to the Police”.