Officers of the Imo State Police Command have foiled an attack by gunmen on Obowo Police Division in the early hours of Monday.
Spokesperson of the command, CSP Michael Abattam, in a statement, said the gunmen came in their numbers from the rear of the Police Division.
“On the 28th day of March, 2022 at about 0200 hours, armed men suspected to be members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra ( IPOB )/ Eastern Security Network ( ESN ), its militia wing came in their numbers from the rear of the division, which is an ungoverned forest, threw petrol bombs and Improvised Explosive Devices(IED) that fell on the transit camp and a vehicle, shooting sporadically,” the statement read.
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.
Meanwhile, apart from the minimal damage on the transit camp and a vehicle, no life was lost. However, the police operative who sustained minor gun shot injury has been treated.
“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 thier gallantry 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 then, appealed to Imolites for their continuous support and collaboration by giving security agencies, especially the Police, credible and timely information and to report any person seen treating bullet wounds or hiding within the community to the nearest police station for prompt action.”
