By Victor Akaa, Abuja.
A joint security operatives have unmarked and apprehended a criminal syndicate believed to be the brain behind series of recent attacks on some citizens, security agents and outfits in the South East zone.
The leader of the said group, one Mr. Tochukwu Okeke alias Owo , Special Assistant to the Enugu state Governor, was arrested in Enugu following a tip off, Enugu Reporters gathered.
According to a military source who spoke under condition of anonymity, Owo and his gang members were operating tunder the guise of Unknown Gun Men, causing wanton destruction and mayhem in the general area.
Recall that in the last four months, Enugu State had witnessed series of security threats from activities of unknown gunmen who engaged in selective assassinations and attacking security deployments across the state. Many where kept in the dark of who are really this unknown gunmen?
They reasoned that with the heightened political tension occasioned by polarization of polity along ethnic and religious lines, they can profit financially and politically by pretending to be advancing and protecting their regional or ethnic interests while in the real sense of it, they are only pursuing their personal goal of engineering and benefiting from the crisis.
Following the activities of the Unknown Gun Men in Imo, Mr. Tochukwu seized the moment to form a terrorist group that will operate as Enugu Unknown Gun Men. His well-structured terrorists were armed to the teeth and heavily sponsored by some politicians who hope to find greater relevance in the crisis.
“Their targets were policemen, soldiers and civilians. They wasted no time before attacking soldiers and policemen in Enugu state.”
Until his arrest and subsequent destruction of their camps, Tochukwu and his gangs have carried out some attacks on police and military facilities within Enugu including Adani Police Division, Military Checkpoint along Adani- Omoh road, Ezeagu Police Division, a military Check point along Orji River-Udi road.
Others are, a military Check points at Nnenwe and along Enugu Abakaliki Road as well as a host of others including a police checkpoint at Obeagu along Enugu-Agbani road.
The military source noted that the terrorist group leader orchestrated the killings of several military personnel, police and the kidnapping of many civilians, among other dastardly act in the South East.
“Tochukwu who by those attacks has masterminded the killing of over 20 soldiers and policemen apart from the destruction of their facilities, equally received payment to kill civilians, and carry out kidnapping for the purpose of raising money, prominent among his civilian victims are Late Justice Stanley Nnaji, Late Ifeanyi Okeke, Paul (the manager of Sunny BRIGHT Motors and Prof. Samuel Ndubuisi of SEDI and other too numerous to mention.
“Recently one of their Camps was raided at Akpawfu-Amangwunze in Nkanu West Local Government Area were several arms, ammunitions, cars and charms were recovered. Tochukwu personal House in New Haven Enugu was equally raided and military grade weapons were recovered.
“With arrest of Tochukwu and destruction of their camps in Orji Rivers, Agwu and Nkanu, peace has gradually returned to Enugu. Enugu people can now sleep with their two eyes close. And In the case of Enugu state, the Unknown Gun Men are now known and Tochukwu is the face behind the mask.” the military source noted.
