The Anambra State Police Command on Thursday said it arrested two suspected members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, at a printing press in Onitsha.
“We recovered thousands of pamphlets printed by the IPOB members who were planning to distribute same to the public in order to cause apprehension and prevent people from exercising their franchise during the Anambra State Governorship election slated for 18 November 2017“, the state Commissioner of Police, Garba Baba Umar said in a statement.
Mr. Umar said the printing press was raided at about 11:00 a.m. following an intelligence report.
According to a police, the suspects arrested during the operation were identified as Udeagha Ebube Chukwu, 27, and Elochukwu Okoloji, 37.
The commissioner further assured law abiding citizens in the state that it will not relent in its efforts towards ensuring safe and secured environment before, during and after the election.
Chief among some of the hurdles before the successful conduct of the election is the call for its boycott by the Nnamdi Kanu-led separatist IPOB group.
The group says it does not want the November 18 election to hold until the Nigerian government accedes to its demand for a referendum for the realisation of the breakaway state of Biafra.
However, Mr. Kanu’s whereabouts remain unknown after clashes occurred between IPOB members and soldiers who were on a military operation in Abia State.
As the clashes continued, the military labelled IPOB a terrorist organisation, a decision later backed by the federal government through a court order. While Mr. Kanu’s lawyer accused the army of kidnapping his client on September 14.
Leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu [Photo Credit: Pulse.ng]
Ahead of the forthcoming election, heads of security formations in Anambra said they are ready to provide adequate security, before, during and after the November 18 governorship election in the state.
The police commissioner, Mr. Umar said 28,000 personnel will be deployed to man the election.
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