Men of the tactical team of the command swooped on the hoodlums’ camp at Umuleje Amaeze, Nkalaha in the Ishielu Local Government Area of the state.
The Nigeria Police Force on Wednesday said its operatives at Ebonyi State Command killed four suspected members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Eastern Security Network (ESN), during a gun battle.
The command's spokesman, SP Chris Anyanwu, who disclosed this in a statement, said 13 military hand grenades suspected to have been fabricated in Russia, among other items were recovered.
According to the police spokesman, men of the tactical team of the command swooped on the hoodlums’ camp at Umuleje Amaeze, Nkalaha in the Ishielu Local Government Area of the state.
SaharaReporters had reported that troops of the Nigerian Army on Monday invaded Nkalaha less than five days before Christmas Day, sacking the community.
It had reported that on penultimate Monday, soldiers numbering over a hundred invaded Obeagu community, sacked residents and looted small businesses.
In the same manner, some soldiers who invaded Nkalaha also looted businesses, forcing residents to flee their homes.
But the police spokesman said that one of the suspects arrested earlier, led the police team to the hideout in a thick forest, adding that there are a lot of IPOB/ESN camps within and around the state.
It was not clear whether police joined the army in the raid on Monday in Nkalaha.
However, Anyanwu said that the hoodlums, on sighting the first set of the operatives, opened fire.
But the tactical team had cordoned off the area and in the ensuing gun battle, the hoodlums were reportedly overwhelmed by the superior firepower of the police.
Two of the hoodlums sustained fatal bullet injuries, two were neutralised on the spot, and one was arrested while others ran in different directions, the police said.
He noted that being a market day for the community, some of the hoodlums who fled, went into the market. According to him, the hoodlums shot indiscriminately and looted goods in the community.
Anyanwu said some youths in the village in collaboration with vigilantes apprehended one of the hoodlums called ‘Unknown Gunman’ and handed him over to the police.
He added that the police destroyed the camps of the hoodlums and recovered items used to unleash mayhem on residents.
Items recovered from the camp include 13 military hand grenades suspected to have been fabricated in Russia.
Others include 210 electrical detonators, two Lexus 300 SUVs, five motorcycles, two pump-action rifles, several single-barrelled guns, AK-47 and GPNG ammunition, and about 30 military uniforms.
He said that other items recovered include IPOB uniforms, the Biafran flag and six bags of marijuana.
The police accuse the hoodlums of engaging in the sale of arms stolen from police formations during attacks, adding that youths in warring communities also give Illegally acquired arms to the hoodlums to carry out their evil plans.