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Police declare suspected IPOB members wanted
DDM NEWS
The Imo State Police Command has declared several suspected members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) wanted following a deadly security raid in May 2022.
The raid, conducted by a combined team of police and other security operatives, targeted a suspected IPOB camp in Izombe, Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State.
The operation took place in May 2022, with the police declaring the suspects wanted on May 22, 2022.
Among those declared wanted is Mr. Okoro Chinemerem Emmanuel, whose family claims has not seen or heard from him since the day of the raid.
Okoro’s brother, Chidi Okoro, raised alarm over his disappearance, stating that his brother may have been either killed or detained incommunicado by the security operatives.
The police confirmed that the raid was based on credible intelligence about alleged “clandestine activities” by suspected IPOB members.
Several individuals were killed during the operation, some were arrested, while others escaped with gun injuries.
The declaration of suspected IPOB members wanted has raised concerns about human rights and the treatment of individuals during security operations.
The case of Okoro Chinemerem Emmanuel highlights the need for transparency and accountability in security operations .
The former spokesperson for the Imo State Police Command, DSP Michael Abattam, had confirmed during a press briefing shortly after the raid that it was based on credible intelligence about alleged “clandestine activities” by suspected IPOB members.
He stated that several individuals were killed during the operation, some were arrested, while others escaped with gunshot injuries.
Abattam further disclosed that those arrested would face prosecution and possibly life imprisonment or the death penalty after interrogation, while a manhunt would continue for those declared wanted.
In his statement at the time, Abattam described the escapees as “miscreants” and claimed the operation was conducted by a special task force on a “shoot-at-sight mission.”
However, the Okoro family maintains that their son, though believed to be an IPOB sympathizer, was a law-abiding citizen.
Chidi said Okoro had attended a monthly IPOB meeting on the day of the raid to plan for the 2022 Biafra Heroes Day when the security forces struck.
The police have since urged members of the public with any information regarding the whereabouts of Okoro and others to report to the nearest police station, assuring that all information would be treated with strict confidentiality and rewarded accordingly.
However, the Okoro family maintains that their son, though believed to be an IPOB sympathizer, was a law-abiding citizen. Chidi said Okoro had attended a monthly IPOB meeting on the day of the raid to plan for the 2022 Biafra Heroes Day when the security forces struck.
The police have since urged members of the public with any information regarding the whereabouts of Okoro and others to report to the nearest police station, assuring that all information would be treated with strict confidentiality and rewarded accordingly.
Meanwhile, civil society groups and rights advocates are beginning to raise concerns over the legality and transparency of such raids, warning that the continued lack of accountability could deepen mistrust between security forces and communities in the Southeast.
As the Okoro family continues to seek answers more than two years after the incident, the case adds to growing calls for transparency and due process in Nigeria’s internal security operations, particularly in relation to proscribed groups and their perceived members.
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