Police Deploys Surveillance Helicopters In Imo Over IPOB’s Threat On Ikonso’s Murder

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Police authorities has deployed helicopters to Imo State to provide surveillance and prevent further attacks by gunmen on government establishments.

This comes two days after the country home of the state Governor, Hope Uzodinma faced attack by gunmen.

Some gunmen early on Saturday attacked the country home of the governor in his Omuma hometown of the Oru East Local Government Area, killing two security operatives.

On Saturday as well, the army stated that its troops and the police intelligence team killed Ikonso, known as Vice President, and six IPOB commanders who worked for the Eastern Security Network in a raid the operatives carried out on the “operational Headquarters of the IPOB/ESN terrorists in Awomama village.”

The army had confirmed that an officer and three policemen were also shot dead by the ESN during the gun battle on Saturday.

The Director, Army Public Relations, Brig Gen Mohammed Yerima, released a photograph of Ikonso with IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, as well as of the shrine where the ESN and IPOB fighters reportedly gathered in Oru East.

The army spokesman had revealed that they had been on the trail of Ikonso and other ESN commanders for weeks before he was finally captured.

The attack of the governor’s house followed the killing of a kingpin of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), simply identified as Ikonso aka Holy Cup.

Ikonso was killed when Abba Kyari led men of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) invaded his home in Umuokwe, Awomama in the Oru East Local Government Area of the state.

Meanwhile, IPOB has vowed to avenge the death of the ESN commander, Ikonso.

Journal Reporters learns from a police source on Monday that security operatives are taking the threats seriously and that helicopters had been deployed in the state to provide surveillance as part of security efforts to prevent further attacks in the state.

A resident who spoke to our correspondent on grounds of anonymity said, “I have been seeing helicopters hovering above in Owerri. On Monday, I saw one hovering over the Government House.”

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