The Anambra State police in collaboration with various security agencies in its fight to combat terrorism, recently arrested several proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) members alleged to be involved in terrorist activities in the country.
Anthony Chukwuma Umezulike is said to be in hiding since May, 2024 for fear of being arrested on account of his alleged preferred orientation and involvement of being a financier and sympathizer of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in Anambra State.
It was revealed from security agencies that Anthony Chukwuma Umezulike who hails from Ezinifite in Aguata Local Government, Anambra State has been declared wanted by security operatives on May 10, 2024 for allegedly being a financier and sympathizer of the proscribed IPOB.
A police source who spoke to our correspondent on the condition of anonymity, revealed that, one of the arrested IPOB suspects, Romanus Okafor during interrogation confessed that, Anthony Chukwuma Umezulike is one of IPOB’s financier and sympathizer who has been supporting members of the proscribed organization IPOB in the community to carry out terrorist activities.
The source added that, though Anthony Chukwuma Umezulike, has been invited and interrogated by security operatives on February 2024 on account of photographs of some individuals dressed in Biafra colour (IPOB colour) carrying sub-machine guns in front of his business premises at Uga, a town close to his community, they found Anthony Chukwuma Umezulike not to be a member of IPOB.
The police source however disclosed that Anthony Chukwuma Umezulike is still wanted by the police as he is believed to be among some IPOB financiers and sympathizers who also have useful information that will lead to the arrest of other top leaders who are also at large.
It was said that, the security agencies got the information of Anthony Chukwuma Umezulike alleged terrorist activities in the community when Romanus Okafor and his gang of ESN brethren was arrested after they had ambushed a police convoy and killed some officers.
The source revealed that, through intelligent report, the police force swung into action, found and raided the IPOB hideout in the forest in March 2024 and arrested Romanus Okafor and about 24 youths while other district leaders of IPOB escape from the hideout to unknown destination. The source said, it was Romanus who is also a district leader of IPOB during interrogation that confessed the financial and sympathetic activities of Anthony Chukwuma Umezulike.
A leader in the community, Mr. Innocent Ogbuka, who spoke to our correspondent noted that, the security agents has increased their manhunt for the arrest of Anthony Chukwuma Umezulike and other members of his IPOB group.
According to him, “the police are looking for Anthony Chukwuma Umezulike as he is believe to have useful information that will lead to the arrest of other top sympathizers of IPOB.
“We gathered that security operatives on April 27 2024 went and raided his business premises and assaulted some of his workers at Uga threatening the workers to tell them where their boss was. They also went to his house and threatened to arrest his wife and kids if she didn’t disclose the whereabout of her husband, but the wife told them her husband is not an IPOB member but a business man who traveled to Lagos.” He said.
According to Ogbuka, Umezulike’s wife told the officers that, her husband was not a member of IPOB, but they insisted that her husband should report to the police Command at Awka and they showed her evidence showing photograph of some individuals dressed in Biafra colour with sub-machine guns in front of her husband’s business premises at Uga.
It was revealed that, Anthony Chukwuma Umezulike and his wife after the police raid to their home and business premises went into hiding at one Augustine Eze, Anthony Chukwuma Umezulike friend’s house in Lagos. And they have remained in hiding since then.
It would be recall that, for some time now, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) movement has gained traction in its demands for independence, and the Nigerian central government is not pleased.
