The Imo Police Command on Sunday said it has arrested 29 members of the Eastern Security Network (ESN) who were allegedly planning to attack the State ahead of the Sit-at-home order on Monday.
IPOB had declared a sit-at-home on Monday to press the government into releasing its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
Parading the men at the Command’s headquarters in Owerri, Commissioner of Police, Abutu Yaro, said the Command was able to gather the information on their activities and they were arrested.
But family members who protested their arrests said some of them were innocent youths on their way to church or going about their normal businesses.
The Police in Imo have frequently used mass arrests in their crackdown on hoodlums attacking government facilities in the state.
More than 100 civilians have been killed since the crackdown began in March, with Amnesty International estimating that more than 150 persons were killed by security agents between March and July, while many more were languishing in prison.
The CP who paraded the men said: “We got information that they have concluded their plans to launch an attack in the State as a way to enforce their sit-at-home order and we moved our men to action and unfortunate for them all of them were captured in their different camps of ESN, in the State. Also, arrested were some women who offer them catering services.
“I am glad to report Imo has remained largely peaceful. We have security measures to ensure everything is secured.
“We are not unaware that there are some people bent on trying to destroy the state.
“However, a lot of mileage has been scored and Imo still remains a leading light. We are not relenting. We must always be ahead of them.”
Also paraded was a masked suspect who said he has repented and would never join the ESN in their activities, adding that he would work with the Police.
