Police arrest alleged supplier of food, bomb-making materials to gunmen – Official

The police said the suspect was arrested on Sunday.

The police in Anambra State, Nigeria’s South-east, have arrested an alleged supplier of food and bomb-making materials to gunmen in the state.

The police spokesperson in the state, Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday.

Mr Ikenga, a superintendent of police, said the suspect was arrested on Sunday during an “intelligent-driven routine patrol” along Pillar-Pole Area Aguata in Anambra State.

The police did not mention the name of the arrested suspect.

The spokesperson said the suspect was initially intercepted carrying three bags of garri, a type of cassava flakes.

“The operatives, upon search of the suspect, discovered beneath the edible, a large quantity of gunpowder.

“Preliminary information reveals that the suspect was en route to a criminal camp to deliver groceries for consumption and the gunpowder for production of improvised explosives for the gang,” he said.

“The suspect is currently in custody and assisting the Police to arrest the other gang members.”

Another arrest

Mr Ikenga said, in a separate operation on Wednesday (today), police operatives from the Special Anti-Cultism Squad arrested a man for alleged illegal possession of firearms.

He said the suspect, Nelson Wisdom, was arrested when the operatives raided a criminal hideout in Oba, a community in Idemili South Council Area of Anambra State.

The spokesperson said the operation followed a tip-off about criminal activities in the area.

Mr Ikenga said the operatives recovered a locally fabricated pistol with two live ammunition from the suspect during the operation.

He said the suspect hails from Etsako East Council Area in Edo State, South-south Nigeria, but resides in Oba in Anambra State.

The Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, Nnaghe Obono, has reiterated that security agencies in the state will continue to sustain the onslaught against criminals in the state, Mr Ikenga said.

Mr Obono said the suspects would be charged to court upon conclusion of the investigations.