Police recover rocket launcher, bombs

The police in Imo on Tuesday announced the recovery of weapons abandoned during the Nigerian Civil War, 50 years after the war ended.

The explosives included wartime munitions recovered from old military trench at Okigwe and five primed improvised explosive devices found at a robbery scene at a new generation bank in Ezinihitte, Mbaise Local Government Area.

Ten live wartime military bombs were also recovered at Ogbaku in Mbaitoli Local Government Area, along with six live old wartime military bombs found at a building site at Ohuba in Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Muhammad Musa, who displayed the ammunition in Owerri, said the explosives were recovered by men of ``Operation Sweep” formed to get rid of deadly explosives in the state.

He said the efforts were part of the result of continuation of onslaught on crime and criminals in the state

Other weapons recovered were four explosive devices and one rocket launcher, five electromagnetic old wartime bombs and six handheld grenades recovered from a road construction site at Orlu.

Old wartime military bombs and two exploration bullets were found in Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area, while four primed explosive devices and one handheld grenade were recovered from an abandoned vehicle.

"We are determined to sweep and clean Imo of explosive ordnance like bombs and other improvised explosive devices and weapons buried during the Nigeria Civil War,” he said.

Musa noted that some of the bombs had been detonated, adding that apart from the five local government areas, the operation would cover the state.

According to him, some explosives were recovered from hoodlums who engaged the police in a gun battle.

The commissioner advised traditional rulers and other stakeholders to guard against the use of local canons at social gatherings as hoodlums used them during robbery operations.