Fear has gripped policemen and occupants of Police Barracks across Imo State as unknown raze down the Ehime Mbano police station.
Trumpeta learnt that not less than four Police Stations in the State have fallen victim to gunmen attack.
Apart from loss of lives and property, causalities are recorded which have sent shivers down the spines of officers and men residing in police barracks, especially those outskirt of the State capital Owerri. A Police Station at Ehime Mbano LGA was burnt on Tuesday evening.
The panic is as a result of attacks on police formations in the state which commenced few months ago.
A visit to some of the barracks showed that some of the policemen and their families are in tensed mood at the moment following spate of attacks on them and facilities by the faceless Hoodlums.
Meanwhile, Security personnel of various agencies have gone into hiding following the hoodlums attacks on certain facilities in Owerri, the State capital.
Trumpeta learnt that apart from the roads leading to Government House, Owerri and parts of Okigwe and bank road which have been blocked and fortified with gun totting operatives of police and army, no uniformed operatives can be found on the other roads especially the highway.
Even some of the regular checkpoints where police and army were stationed appear to have been abandoned and deserted. From Rivers State boundary with Imo to Owerri, no regular police checkpoint was spotted.
Trumpeta was informed that at the Military checkpoint at Ukwuorji, Mbaitoli LGA in Owerri Onitsha road, the soldiers who sighted the hoodlums took to their heels before their items were burnt. They are yet to return to base.
This newspaper further gathered that the soldiers and policemen at the two facilities; Police Headquarters and Prisons attacked by the hoodlums escaped to safety when they noticed the presence of the gunmen in the early hours of Monday.
Some were said to have dropped their rifles and scampered for safety when staccato sounds of gunshots rented the air.
Trumpeta also learnt that police suffered heavy losses in terms of fire arms and ammunition, the gunmen carted away during the invasion.
However, the masses are in support of the police to rise up to the challenge by citizens helping the police with necessary information to handle the ugly situation.
