Barely a week after Umuguma Police station and another in Oru East were attacked by unidentified gunmen, another Police Divisional Headquarter was in the early hours of Monday, attacked.
The Otoko Divisional Police Headquarters situated in Obowo Local Government Area as Trumpeta gathered suffered unknown gunmen attack leaving two officers injured.
A source from the area told our correspondent that the attack which started around 3am, lasted a long time as residents feared for the unknown.
According a source in the community who pleaded anonymity; “We didn’t sleep last night. The sounds of the weapons were terrifying. While many ran into the bushes, others took cover in their houses. You know the Police Divisional Headquarters is situated on the Owerri-Umuahia express road.
“Police officers engaged the gunmen and the situation became more terrible. It was as if the world was coming to an end. It was a consistent exchange of gunshots. We haven’t seen this one before. Two policemen were terribly injured and had been rushed to an undisclosed hospital.”
Reacting, the Imo State Police Command spokesman, Michael Abattam in a release stated that armed men suspected to be members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) / Eastern Security Network (ESN) came in their numbers from the rear of the division, which is ungoverned forest, threw petrol bombs and Improvised Explosive Devices (IED), shooting sporadically.
According to the release “The police operatives of the division and some of the Command’s Tactical Teams responded swiftly, engaging the hoodlums in a fierce gun duel preventing them from gaining entrance to the station and in the process forced the hoodlums into retreating and they escaped back into the forest with various degrees of bullet wounds”
“The police operatives gave them a hot chase and while combing the bush the following items were recovered on the spot: three(3) undetonated Explosives, four(4) expended AK 47 RIFLES ammunition, five(5) live cartridges, thirty three(33) expended cartridges, two mask, one pump action gun and a motor saw machine.
The Police Command noted that apart from the minimal damage on the transit camp and a vehicle, no life was lost. However, the police operative who sustained minor gunshot injury has been treated.
In his reaction over the ugly incident, the Deputy Commissioner of Police incharge of Operation/Acting Commissioner of Police, Imo Command, DCP MAMAN B. GIWA, psc, who visited the station for an on the spot assessment of the situation, commended the officers and men for their gallantry and advised them not to relent in their efforts in combating violent crimes in the state, until all criminal elements and their partners are apprehended and made to face the full wrath of the law.
He however appealed to Imolites for their continuous support.
