The Intelligence Response Team, IRT of the Nigeria Police Force led by DCP Olatunji Disu arrested two suspects , a Cameroonian and a Nigerian for illegal possession and illicit sales of explosives and ammunition
Their arrest follows the order by the Inspector General of Police,IGP, Usman Alkali Baba to all commands of the police to battle crime to its barest level in line with his zero tolerance to crime and criminality.
The IGP has ordered that any one who is found with illicit weapons and exploiting the crisis in Cameroon by dealing in ammunitions in order to make selfish gains must face the full wrath of the law
In view of this,the men of the IRT swiftly went to work and arrested the suspects identified as 38 years old farmer Obi Ndifon Bate,from the Nmojosob Division in Cameron and the main suspect, 40 years old Ntui Lambart Assam from Ntui local government area of Cross Rivers whose mother is a Cameroonian.
According to Ndifon Bate, he claims he only comes to Nigeria to do menial jobs but was unfortunate to have been arrested in Ikom local government area of Cross River State along side Ntui whom he claims to be his cousin.
Due to the crisis in Cameroon between the separatists and the government, it has forced a lot of people from Cameroon into Nigeria through the boarders.
In view of this, the Nigeria Police Force in order to curb crime in its boarders sorted intelligence gathering and discreet investigation to arrest anyone involved in illegal sales of any ammunition or involving the use of improvised explosive device (IEDs) through the boarder to cause high rate of crime.
Speaking with journalists, ,Ndifon who further explained how he got involved in the crime said, ‘’I am a registered member with the United Nation,my wife was pregnant and the baby died inside of her, I went to Calabar to collect money. Ndifon who according to him went to Ikom to collect money from his brother confessed to be aware of the kind of illegal business his brother was into.
He said’ I am aware that my cousin is into the business of selling dynamite and he sells them to Cameroonian but I was not involved in the business. I was only unfortunate to be around when the IRT men came around to make arrest.
The suspected mastermind who is referred to as General Assam Lambert Ntui(Black Mamba)of Manyu was arrested in Ikom in Cross River State.
The 40 years old Assam Ntui who is from Ntui local government of Cross River but whose mother is from southern Cameroon said he was arrested in his house in Ikom.
Narrating his story,Ntui said he was introduced into the business of selling explosives and ammunition through a friend he met in his home town in 2019,thou he has successfully done the business five times between the spaces of three years and claim it’s not a regular business he does.
He said, “ I was introduced to this business of selling dynamite by a friend I met in Ikom, thou he’s now based in Jos. When we met,we were discussing the crisis going on in Cameron. He said the fighters will need ammunition and the need arises I should contact him which I did. I contacted him the first time in 2019,when I sent him money,he will send the explosive to me.
Ntui denied having knowledge of where he got the ammunition or explosives from.
According to him, I don’t know where he gets those things from. I only contact him when I needed them, I will pay him money and he will send them to me.The explosives does not come regularly,it comes every five month at times.
They send it with waybill by road through trailers and the drivers will call me and give it to me. I don’t know the faces of the guys that comes with them because they always hide their faces. Some of them masks their faces while some will hide inside the trailer but the drivers are the ones who deliver the explosives and ammunition well wrapped to me.
He further said,”The Cameron boys give me the money to buy the explosives in bulk for them.They give me #70,000 or #80,000 and I burchase it and give it to the fighters in Cameron to face the crisis in their Country. The fighters compensate me with 20 to 30 thousand naira.
When I was arrested in my house in Calabar by the IRT men,I was taken to a bar I manage in Ikom where they discovered some dynamite in my custody.
The suspect denial knowing the suppliers of the dynamite,he claim they are from black market and has disclosed their phone numbers to the Police when he was taken to Uyo in Akwa-Ibom State.
Ntui who sometimes ago was burnt by unknown explosive said he’s married with five kids and regretted getting involved in the illicit business and promised to practice the good conducts he learnt while in police custody.