The police in Imo say they have arrested a suspected witch doctor of the Eastern Security Network (ESN) with an improvised explosive device (IED).

This is contained in a statement by a police spokesman Mike Abattam in Owerri.

”After a diligent forensic and technical intelligence gathering, the suspect, Benneth Okoli, 49, was arrested in his shrine at Akuma in Oru East LGA of Imo. On searching the shrine, one locally made IED, charms, and weed suspected to be cannabis were recovered,” stated the police.

The police statement added that “the suspect on interrogation made useful statements and is currently” assisting the police to arrest the rest of his gang, “presently on the run.”

The arrest came a few days after the police claimed they had a shootout with “bandits” in the area.

“Sequel to the attack on the Omuma Police Station in Oru East by bandits suspected to be the remnants of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and ESN terror groups, the CP dispatched the command’s tactical teams led by ACP Benjamin Osuji,” the statement further explained.

It noted that “the team was directed to carry out a discreet investigation and arrest the bandits” involved in the attack of a police station.

(NAN)