Imo Police Repel Attack on Headquarters, Kill Five Gunmen

*Hoodlums raze home of Imo commissioner, police station in Delta

Amby Uneze in Owerri and Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba

The Imo State Police Command has said that its gallant officers killed five hoodlums, who attempted to attack the state police headquarters in Owerri, the state capital in the early hours of yesterday, even as the country-home of the Imo State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Hon. Declan Emelumba was razed down yesterday morning by the unknown gunmen.

This is coming as hoodlums have also attacked and razed the Ashaka Police Stateion, Ndokwa East Local Government Area of Delta State.

The hoodlums, who were masquerading as unknown gunmen, had attempted to launch attack for the second on the Imo State Police Command Headquarters yesterday morning but suffered a huge defeat.

According to the information from the Police, they made effort to access the Police Headquarters through the Works Layout around Alvan Nursery and Primary School but were vehemently repelled.

Imo State Police Public Relations Officer, Bala Elkana, a Superintendent of Police (SP) confirmed the report.

Elkana said the attempt was vehemently repelled by the gallant forces of the Army, Police Special Forces and other supporting security agencies.

“The attackers, who came in a white hummer bus, wanted to access the Command Headquarters through Works Layout around Alvan Nursery and Primary School Owerri but had a bloody fight with the security forces. They were first Intercepted by the military at the outer perimeter cordon provided for the Police. Five hoodlums were killed in action (KIA), including Joseph Uka Nnachi alias King of Dragons. One suspect, Stanley Osinachi ‘male’ 30 years old of Achi/Mberi , Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State was arrested and presently aiding investigation. He confirmed that Dragon is the leader of the gang in Imo State reporting to their supreme leader Nnamdi Kanu. He stated that, they belong to the proscribed IPOB and ESN. Four AK- 47 Rifles with 2,000 rounds of live ammunition and large number of explosives were recovered from the scene. The Rifles breech numbers were crossed checked and found to be the same Police Rifles that were stolen by the hoodlums from our Police Station at Omuma on 31st May, 2021 which claimed the lives of four Policemen,” Elkana explained.

Elkana listed other exhibits recovered to include, Assault (AR) Rifle Breach N0: 03018058; Assault (AR) Rifle Breach N0: 070007055; Assualt (AR) RIFLE Breach N0: 5801297; Six locally fabricated Explosive Devices; Police Beret Cap; seven AK-47 Magazines fully loaded; one military cap; one military cardigan (Polo); Silver Coloured Mini Bus with Reg N0: WAM-8673 B ABD; and one Hummer Bus with Reg N0: KED-382 X Ladden with Explosive Devices.

Meanwhile, hoodlums have also attacked and razed the Ashaka Police Station, Ndokwa East Local Government Area of Delta State.

Delta State Police Command confirmed that at about 1:00am yesterday, a gang of heavily armed men invaded and razed down the Ashaka Police Station including several vehicles parked in the station premises.

The unidentified attackers were said to have been equipped with improvised explosive devices (IEDs), with which they used to raze the building to the ground.

It was learnt that police station was built built by the community through partnership with the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC).

One of the vehicles burnt, a patrol van, was also said to have been provided by the Ashaka community.

The state police command spokesman, Bright Edafe, a deputy superintendent of police (DSP), who confirmed the incident in Asaba yesterday, said that the Delta State Commissioner of Police, Ari Muhammed Ali, has, nevertheless, vowed to continue to pile the pressure on criminals operating in the state until crimes were reduced.

The spokesman, who described as “enemies of the community and of the police” the hoodlums who levelled the divisional police headquarters in Ashaka and also burnt down every vehicle in sight, disclosed that the attackers reportedly came in a large numbers at the unholy hour.

Edafe further said no policeman was killed during the attack, adding that “no arm was taken away”