Police arrest native doctor over killing of inspector, recover python

The Imo State Police Command on Thursday said it arrested a native doctor and his gang members for allegedly killing a police inspector, Felicia Nwagbara.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Micheal Abattam, in a statement on Thursday, said the slain cop had been declared missing since 2017.

Abattam said the gang members, who were arrested at Agwa, in the Oguta Local Government Area of the state by operatives of the tactical units of the command, were allegedly members of the Indigenous People of Biafra.

He said apart from killing the female cop, the gang had been collaborating with criminals and kidnappers who had been attacking the state.

Abattam identified the suspects as Casmire Mgbugha, 53; Hycent Chimezie, 30; Hycent, 28; Hycent Ifesinachi, 26; Hycent Chimobi, 23; Chukwuemeka Wisdom, 22; and Nnadike Clifford, 72.

The statement read, “We got credible information that a native doctor who prepares charms for fortifications against bullets and knives for members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra and its armed affiliate, Eastern Security Network and led the attack and killing of a police officer in Agwa community had returned after fleeing the community. The command’s tactical teams on May 18, 2022, around 6am hastily mobilised and with the positive revelations made in the course of interrogating suspects earlier arrested in connection with the killing, the team was able to locate their criminal hideout in Ubah Agwa in the Oguta LGA of Imo State and immediately cordoned the area as the tactical team went into the den.

“The hoodlums, on sighting the police, attempted to escape, only to discover that their escape routes had been saturated with police operatives, hence they were arrested.

“On searching the terror camp, the following items were recovered: one Toyota Camry, with number plate, AKD 73 BF Lagos; one live python; eight locally-made pistols; 18 rounds of live cartridges; one Biafra flag; a pair of police camouflage uniform belonging to late Inspector Felicia Nwagbara, who had been declared missing since 2017 by the police authorities.

“Amazingly, while coming out of the terror camp, one of the suspects, Hycent Chimezie, for the second time, attempted escaping and was maimed in the leg.

“In the course of interrogation, the suspects confessed to have murdered late Inspector Felicia Nwagbara, who was the second wife of one of the suspects — Casmire Mgbugba. They further stated that they were the manufacturers of the locally-made guns recovered from them. They said apart from using them to perpetrate crimes, they sell to robbers and kidnappers.”