Nine killed, suspects freed as gunmen attack Anambra, Abia police stations

There was mayhem in two South-East states, Anambra and Abia, on Monday when gunmen separately attacked police formations, leading to the death of two policemen and seven others.

Two Policemen and three other persons were killed when gunmen attacked the Zone 13 police headquarters at Ukpo, in Dunukofia Local Government Area of Anambra State.

Detained suspects were reportedly set free after hoodlums had razed the Uzuakoli Police Division in Bende  council area of Abia State. The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has denied any  involvement  in the attacks on security agents, agencies and their formations in any party of the South-East.

The police gave the names of their dead colleagues in the Anambra mayhem as Inspector Ishaku Aura and PC Uzoma Uwaebuka.

One of the buildings at zone 13 was razed by the hoodlums, while four vehicles were burnt. A police officer at the zone said, “The hoodlums invaded the zonal headquarters at Ukpo in the early hours of yesterday but our gallant men repelled the attack.

“In the process, they killed two of our men while our men gunned down three of their men. But they quickly carried them and zoomed off.

“Those hoodlums came in their numbers; in fact, not less than 20, but our men were equal to the task. They tried to gain access into our armoury but our men stopped them.

“One general purpose machine gun was recovered by the police from the attackers and the identities of the attackers were still not known.”

The Zonal Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Nkeiru Nwode, confirmed the incident, saying apart from the GPMG, various types of ammunition were also recovered from the hoodlums.

Nwode’s statement read: “Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force attached to Zone-13 headquarters, Ukpo, Anambra State, have successfully repelled an attack on the Zonal headquarters by criminal elements in the early hours of today, (yesterday) 19th April, 2021. “The attackers, who came in their numbers, shot  sporadically in order to gain access to the facility, but were repelled by police personnel on duty who showed profound gallantry in the face of the seemingly overwhelming attack. “Following the inability of the attackers to access the facility, they cowardly threw petrol bombs and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) on vehicles within the periphery of the headquarters. “One of the criminal elements was neutralized during the exchange of gunfire between the police and the attackers, while many of the gang members escaped with gunshots injuries.

“One L7A2 General-Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG), ninety-two rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition, one locally-made smoke pistol and an axe were recovered by the police. Regrettably, two police operatives sustained gunshot injuries and are currently receiving treatment.

“Anambra State Commissioner of Police, CP Monday Kuryas, who is also  standing in for the Zonal Assistant Inspector General of Police, for the zone has commended the police operatives for putting up a strong resistance against the attackers.

“The CP, supported by other senior officers from Zone-13 Headquarters and the state command, is personally leading a special operation aimed at tracing, identifying and arresting the perpetrators to bring them to book.

“The CP also called on proprietors of private and public (including unorthodox) medical facilities in and around Anambra State to admit, but report anyone found seeking medical attention for bullet wounds and related injuries to the nearest police station.”

In Abia, the Police Public Relations Officer, for the state command, SP Geoffrey Ogbonna, said the gunmen used dynamites and rocket launchers which frustrated the efforts of the policemen guarding the station to repel them. According to him, the gunmen also freed detainees at the station.