2 feared dead as gunmen attack Imo police station

Gunmen suspected to be members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra/Eastern Security Network attacked the Obowo Divisional Police headquarters in Imo State on Monday.

A source in the Imo community, who pleaded anonymity, said two persons were feared killed in the attack.

The source disclosed that the attack started around 2 am and lasted for about three hours.

“We heard the sounds of various firearms and suspected dynamite during the attack.

“We do not know whether the assailants took away police weapons as they usually did,” he said.

The attack was confirmed by the Imo State Police Public Relations officer, CSP Michael Abattam, stating that the gunmen approached the police station from an ungoverned forest at the rear.

Abattam added that the assailants threw petrol bombs and Improvised Explosive Devices that fell on the transit camp behind the station and on a parked vehicle.

He noted that police operatives and some of the command’s technical teams engaged the gunmen in a fierce gun duel, preventing the attackers from gaining entrance to the station.

The police spokesperson added: “In the process, they forced the hoodlums into retreating into the forest with various degrees of bullet wounds.

“The police operatives gave them a hot chase and while combing the bush, three undetonated explosives, four expended AK47 bullets and five live cartridges, were recovered.

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“Also recovered were 33 expended cartridges, two masks, one pump action gun and a motorised sawing machine.”

Abattam, however, stated that apart from the minimal damage on the transit camp and the vehicle, no life was lost.

He noted that a police operative, who sustained minor gunshot injury, had been treated.

The police spokesman added that acting Imo State Commissioner of Police, DCP Maman Giwa, who visited the scene, commended the officers for repelling the attack.

Giwa appealed to Imo residents to continue to give the police timely and credible information about criminals and their activities and to report any person seen treating bullet wounds within the community to the nearest police station.

Meanwhile, a source in the community, who pleaded anonymity, said two persons were feared killed in the attack.

The source disclosed that the attack started around 2 am and lasted for about three hours.

“We heard the sounds of various firearms and suspected dynamite during the attack.

“We do not know whether the assailants took away police weapons as they usually did,” he said.

Monday’s attack brought the number of police divisional headquarters attacked in Imo State in March to four.

Earlier in the month, gunmen attacked Orsu, Oru East and Umuguma police divisional headquarters.

The Star