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.…Only five stations rebuilt so far
. …Rural areas vulnerable without ‘visibility policing’ – Expert
Between 2020 and 2025, findings by Crimefacts indicate that no fewer than 22 police stations across 19 Local Government Areas (LGAs) have been attacked and burnt down by criminal elements in Imo state.
Despite the critical need for security infrastructure, not more than five of these stations have been rebuilt and made functional, leaving communities vulnerable and exposed to criminal activities.
In some Local Governments, as much as two Police formations or more were attacked, burnt and vandalized.
Ahiazu Mbaise took the first hit in 2020 at the peak of the #EndSARS rage. The station and vehicles within the premises were all burnt.
In 2021, police stations in Aboh Mbaise, Ihitte-Uboma, Ideato North (Arondizuogu), Oguta (Izombe), Ehime Mbano (Area command), Orlu, Orsu, Owerri North (Orji), Isiala Mbano and Njaba (Umuaka and Atta) were attacked and set ablaze.
In 2022, Owerri West (Umuguma), Oru East (Omuma), Onuimo (Okwelle), Okigwe (Umuna), Isu, Ideato South, Mbaitoli (Mbieri) and Obowo(Otoko) Police stations.
In 2023, Agwa police station in Oguta LGA was hit again and same was the case for Obowo in September 2024.
Of all these loss in critical Police infrastructure, no more than five stations have been rebuilt.
Among those rebuilt are the station in Aboh Mbaise, Njaba (Umuaka), Obowo (Otoko), Mbaitoli (Mbieri) and Owerri North (Orji) which has since been relocated.
With this burden of infrastructural deficit, there are still public safety concerns, as banditry, kidnapping, and other violent crimes continue to plague the state.
In many rural communities, the Nigeria Police Force has little or no visible presence, a situation that has emboldened criminals and left residents living in fear.
Experts emphasize the importance of “visibility policing,” where the mere sight of uniformed officers can deter criminal activities. However, the near-total absence of police presence in some of these areas has created a vacuum, allowing criminal elements to operate with little to no deterrence.
Residents lament the lack of security, with many recounting harrowing experiences of being unable to reach police during emergencies. “A community where no policeman can respond to a distress call at night cannot be described as safe or secure,” said a local resident from Oru West LGA, one of the areas hardest hit by the crisis. The absence of functional police stations and the looting of firearms during attacks have further weakened the state’s ability to combat crime.
Security analysts warn that the war against insecurity in Imo State cannot be won without urgent action, as they call on relevant authorities to prioritize the rebuilding of all burnt and vandalized police stations, as well as the replacement of looted firearms. “The government must act swiftly to restore confidence in the security apparatus,” said a security expert based in Owerri, the state capital.
“Without functional police stations and adequate manpower, the fight against banditry and kidnapping will remain an uphill battle.”
To a large extent, the safety and security of Imo residents depend on the government’s ability to restore law enforcement infrastructure and ensure that the police can once again serve as a visible and effective deterrent to crime.
However, in a press statement signed by the Imo Police Command’s spokesperson, DSP Henry Okoye, the police noted that rebuilding work was underway in some police formations in the state.
With the support of the Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo state, three of the damaged police formations were nearing completion.
It read in part: “In a continued effort to enhance security and improve police service delivery in Imo State, the Commissioner of Police, CP Aboki Danjuma, embarked on an inspection of key police divisional headquarters slated for refurbishment. This initiative, backed by His Excellency, Governor Hope Uzodinma, aims to restore damaged police formations and strengthen security across the state.”
The statement noted that CP Aboki Danjuma, had on February 7, visited the Ihitte-Uboma (Etiti) Police Divisional Headquarters, which had suffered extensive damage in an attack by criminal elements.
According to the statement the Commissioner had also conducted an inspection the day before, on the ongoing construction work at Agwa and Izombe police stations in Oguta LGA.
It is the hope of many that these renovation and rebuilding work will be accelerated so that the police and other security agencies can effectively consolidate on the gains they have made in fighting insecurity and violent crimes in Imo state.
Pascal Arogorn Ibe