Suspected attackers of Wike father’s church paraded, confess to being IPOB members

Three suspected attackers of the Christian Universal Church International, Port Harcourt, believed to belong to the father of the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, were on Thursday paraded by the state Police Command.

The church was on Saturday attacked by assailants believed to be members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), which have been having a running battle with Governor Wike.

The group has however denies being involved in the attack that involved the use of explosives.

Parading the suspects on Thursday, the state Commissioner of Police, Joseph Mukan, claimed the suspects reportedly confessed to their complicity in the act.

Mukan also gave the names of the suspects as Progress Onwudinjo aged 37 from Etche LGA, Rivers State, Apuru Victor, aged 23 from Ebonyi State and John Okorie, aged 38 years from Abia State.

The state police boss also claimed that the suspects confessed in their statements to the police to being members of the proscribed IPOB, admitting that they acted on the directive of a certain benefactor whose name will not be made public for obvious reasons pending the outcome of the investigation.

He said the investigation was still ongoing after which the suspects would be charged to court.

Read also: PDP calls for probe into attack on Gov Wike father’s church

The police boss also warned miscreants in the state, especially those operating under the guise of IPOB to have a rethink or face the full weight of the law.

He also reassured the residents of the state that there was no cause for alarm as the command under his watch is more than ever prepared to deal with all criminal elements in the state.

Appealing to residents of the state to share credible and actionable information with the Police, Mukan called in them to take advantage of the Community Policing Initiative of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Mohammed Abubakar Adamu,NPM in bringing policing to the communities.

Governor Wike and IPOB have been having a running battle after the secessionist group hoisted the Biafran flag in Oyigbo Local Government of the state, leading to the banning of all their activities in the state.

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