Pascal Arogorn Ibe
Three hoodlums and two police officers have died in separate attacks on Sunday night and early hours of Monday in Imo and Anambra States.
Police operatives in Imo state on Sunday night repelled an attack on Njaba Divisional Headquarters by hoodlums suspected to be affiliated with the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Njaba police division is in Njaba Local Government Area of Imo state, Nigeria’s Southeast.
In July, gunmen attacked and killed three vigilante members and a civilian in this same area.
However in Sunday night, it was gathered that the attackers, arriving in three SUVs, launched a violent assault on the headquarters with sporadic gunfire.
In response, operatives swiftly took up defensive positions and engaged the assailants, resulting in the killing of three attackers.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Henry Okoye said the remaining assailants, who sustained various gunshot injuries, fled into nearby bushes.
He said during the operation that operatives recovered one General Purpose Machine Gun, one AK-47 rifle, and three vehicles: a Toyota Lexus 470, a Mercedes GLK, and a Toyota Venza.
Okoye stated that an intense operation, led by the Commissioner of Police, Imo State Command, CP Aboki Danjuma, is currently underway to apprehend the fleeing suspects. The ongoing efforts aim to capture those responsible and ensure justice is served.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Imo State Command, CP Aboki Danjuma has commended the bravery of the operatives and as well assured the general public that the Command remains committed to enhancing the State’s internal security and will continue to take decisive actions against any threats to public peace.
In Anambra
In another incident, two officers were killed following a gunmen attack on the Umunze Police Station in Anambra State in the early hours of Monday.
A statement by command’s spokesperson, SP Ikenga Tochukwu, noted that the officers paid the ultimate price in their attempt to resist the gunmen.
He added that five unexploded improvised explosive devices were recovered while a joint security operation is on the trail of the attackers.
The statement reads:
“The Joint Security Forces, comprising the Police, Army, Navy, Civil Defence, and other security agencies, recovered five unexploded improvised explosive devices and are pursuing members of the arsonist and armed secessionist groups, who attacked the Umunze Police Station in the early hours of today, September 16, 2024.
“The suspected armed proscribed group invaded the police facility with improvised explosives, firing sporadically, and part of the station caught fire. Unfortunately, two of the police operatives on duty during the gun battle paid the ultimate price in their efforts to prevent the assailants from causing further havoc. Their bodies have been recovered and taken to the morgue.
“Meanwhile, Commissioner of Police CP Nnaghe Obono Itam visited the scene for an on-the-spot assessment to reinforce and reassess security deployment. He calls on anyone with information that could aid the investigation to come forward and assures utmost confidentiality for any such information.”
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