The Rivers State Police Command says it has busted and confiscated the Radio Biafra Transmitters belonging to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and domiciled in Iriebe Housing Estate in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state.
The police operatives also arrested four suspected members of the proscribed group.
The four arrested suspected members of IPOB were among the six criminal suspects paraded by the police at the state command headquarters in Port Harcourt, yesterday during a press briefing.
The state Commissioner of Police, Mr Joseph Mukan, disclosed that confiscating the radio transmitters was made possible through intelligence gathering, saying that the four arrested members of IPOB were responsible for the attack on police stations during the #EndSARS protests in Oyigbo Area Command, where three police stations were burnt and looted.
He gave the names of the arrested IPOB members as Ugochukwu Abazim, Chinedu Ureagbu, Sunny Vincent and Onyekachi Sylvester, all male.
He listed exhibits recovered from them to include, one Radio transmission device (Biafra Radio), large quantities of IPOB T-shirts and face caps, a calendar bearing the photograph of Nnamdi Kanu, one television set, customized machetes bearing members’ names, substances used in the worship of their god, Ezumezu Amadioha Juju.
Mukan recalled that on assumption of duty as the 40th Commissioner of Police in April, this year, he met some challenging situations on ground, noting that with the benefit of hindsight, he re-strategised and repositioned his men, with strong charge to embark on aggressive intelligence-driven policing, with a view to gathering actionable information, which ultimately led to the dislodgement of the criminals.
“To this end, I can proudly tell you that between April and now, I have been able to arrest and prosecute a good number of suspected kidnappers, armed robbers, rescued kidnap victims and recovered large cache of arms/ammunition, among other achievements.
“As you can see, we are again in another period, characterized by upsurge in criminal activities. The command is not oblivious of the fact that this is the period where criminals take advantage to unleash havoc on unsuspecting persons. In view of the above, therefore, we have put in place elaborate and workable security measures that will contain and curtail these nefarious activities”, Mukan said.
The police helmsman used the opportunity to remind all residents of the state that the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic has commenced.
“Therefore, the Covid-19 protocols will be observed with regard to the presidential directives on gathering of persons, among others, as defaulters will be arrested and prosecuted.
“Again, for the umpteenth time, I want to re-echo our earlier stand on the use of fireworks, crackers and knockouts, which by their very nature, are explosives, capable of causing harm, panic and tension in the state.
He averred that as part of security arrangements put in place in the state, the command has deployed personnel to strategic locations in the state, in line with visibility policing strategy, adding that all critical government infrastructure, vulnerable and key points would be given special attention, including worship and fun centres during the Yuletide celebrations.
Mukan assured the good people of the state that the police were in the state to protect their lives and property, adding that “nothing more, nothing less.
“And I will do everything in my power to guarantee that their fundamental rights are protected, minimize police misuse of firearms and stop extra-judicial killings.
“The respect for human rights is sacrosanct and must be obeyed by our men.
“On behalf of the officers and men of the command, I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year, as we make effective and effectual projections for 2021”, he stated.