Gunmen have attacked a police station in Uzoakoli, Bende Local Government Area of Abia State. The incident occurred in the early hours of Monday. The spokesman of the Abi State Police Command, Geoffrey Ogbonna, confirmed the attack to Channels Television via the telephone. He said an investigation has commenced to unravel the perpetrators of the attack, adding that no group has claimed responsibility yet. The Police Public Relations Officer said officers were in a meeting and promised to get more updates on the development. Although reports say the gunmen razed the station, overpowered the policemen on duty and released suspects in custody, the police authorities however did not confirm how true it is. It is also not clear if they invaded the police armoury.

Plans are afoot by the Imo State Government to relocate the headquarters of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS) following an attack on the facility. Some unknown gunmen had on April 5 attacked the correctional centre, freeing more than 1843 inmates. The gunmen also attacked the headquarters of the state’s police command. A former governor of the State, Rochas Okorocha, had built an edifice for both the police and correctional service along Port Harcourt road but the edifices have been overgrown by weeds following the inability of the two establishments to move into the new buildings. However, following the attack, a joint inspection of the new facilities along Port-Harcourt Road was carried out by a combined team of Imo government officials and officials of the NCoS. Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Enlightenment, Prince Eze Ugochukwu, said that the inspection was to give effect to Governor Hope Uzodimma’s resolve to relocate the NCoS from the chokehold of the city centre near Douglas House. Ugochukwu said that the delegation took a comprehensive look at the facilities and what could be done to put it in shape. He said: “After the joint inspection of the facilities, it was agreed that an appraisal team of a joint technical committee will be formed involving all the stakeholders to carry out a comprehensive evaluation and technical appraisal of what needs to be done to get the place ready for operation.” According to him, the government’s delegation was led by the Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Lady Dr Love Ineh, and the Commissioner for Special Projects, Barrister Kingsley Ononuju, while the NCoS officials were led by a Controller of NCoS Mr Kingsley Njoku. He added that the team will present a comprehensive report to the governor for his immediate action.

A former Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mike Ejiofor has warned that the 2023 general elections would not hold over the worsening security situation in the country. Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Monday, Ejiofor asked the Federal Government to urgently tackle insecurity head-on. “If we don’t get these things right before 2023 elections, if we don’t get these things sorted out the various security challenges in the various geopolitical zones, I can assure you that there won’t be elections,” he said. “There will be a crisis in this country, there will be anarchy. We need to sort out this thing before 2023. “Let us talk about this country before talking about elections. If we continue like this, there won’t be elections in 2023 because of series of agitations.” Amid the serial security challenges facing the country, Ejiofor backed several calls for restructuring, saying the move would help solve the various national issues. The security official also faulted a situation whereby states would converge at Abuja on a monthly basis to collect allocation, adding that if governments look inward, the states can survive without the periodic revenue. He also reacted to the controversy trailing the past extremist religious views of the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami. Pantami had for the first time acknowledged his past views but noted that he has since renounced those radical assertions. The Minister said the past radical ideas he was championing were due to age, immaturity, and limited knowledge. This excuse however has not calmed the Twitter storm which is threatening to sweep him from office. But Ejiofor said there is no way the DSS wouldn’t have done a thorough check before his appointment as Minister in 2015. He recalled that the secret service had prompted the Senate via a report which barred the National Assembly from confirming the appointment of a former acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu. “I am not the spokesperson of the SSS but I can tell you that it would be difficult for that information to have passed the State Security Service. “They must have it on record of his sympathy for Al-Qaeda and some of these terrorist organisations. If the State Security Service submits a report on an individual to government and government fails to act on it, who is to blame?” he questioned.

Gunmen numbering about 20 in the early hours of Monday attacked the Zonal Police Headquarters, Zone13, Ukpo, Anambra State. They razed some offices and scores of vehicles during the attack. Reasons behind the attack could not be ascertained as of press time. A police officer, who pleaded anonymity, said the hoodlums were rebuffed from getting into the armoury department of the place. He said, “Our men prevented them from having ingress into our armoury. I can’t tell you the number of casualties now because we have scanty information about the development.” A bystander said there was heavy gunshots before the offices and vehicles were set ablaze. Efforts to reach the Zonal Police Police Public Relations Officer, Nkeiru Nwode, proved abortive as of press time. Source: The Punch Details later….