Feb. 19, 2023

Anambra Police Command says it is on the lookout for insurgents who attacked its Divisional office in early hours of today.

The Command’s Public Relation Officer (PPRO), DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, added that the Police Operatives attached to 33 Police Divisional Headquarters, Nkwelle-Ezunaka, Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra, about 5.58 am foiled an attack by IPOB/ESN Insurgents on the police facility.

Ikenga, in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Awka on Sunday, said the command Operatives neutralised six of the Insurgents, recovered two Ak47 rifles, one Toyota Sienna vehicle with Reg No Abuja ABC 848 EQ, charms and other incriminating items.

He said that the some members of the outlawed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB)/Eastern Security Network (ESN) came in their numbers with two SUV vehicles and one Toyota Sienna, armed with guns, IEDs and petrol bombs, and shot indiscriminately to gain entrance to the station.

Ikenga disclosed that the insurgents were fiercely engaged and resisted by the Divisional Police Officer and his men in a long gun battle before the prompt reinforcement team, made up of the Military and PMF Operatives arrived at the scene.

The statement said that during the gun duel, unfortunately, one police operative attached to the station was fatally wounded and an office in the facility was partially affected by the petrol bomb the insurgents threw inside the station.

He also said that one patrol vehicle parked in front of the station was set ablaze by the gunmen.

However, he said that some of the insurgents who escaped with gunshot injuries are being hunted by the police.

He advised the public and hospital managements in the state to report to the nearest police station any patient with gunshot wounds.

Ikenga said that the Command is on top of the situation and that the situation is still being assessed.

He said that the Joint operations are still ongoing to track down the fleeing insurgents. (NAN)