Tension continues to rise in Imo State as gunmen on Wednesday night, April 7, attacked the Mbieri Divisional Police Headquarters situated in the Mbaitoli Local Government Area of the state.
Confirming the attack, the spokesperson of the state police command, Orlando Ikeokwu, said the gunmen stormed the police headquarters at about 10pm but the attack was successfully repelled by the police.
He also confirmed that while one police officer was missing, two others where injured owing to the resistance put by the policemen on duty.
Ikeokwu, also confirmed that some suspects detained in the police facility were freed by the attackers.
He, however assured that the police authority in the state had commenced investigation into the attack, immediately.
WITHIN NIGERIA learnt that the gunmen also took away the phones belonging to suspects and the police operatives at the Division.
A police source said “We resisted them but they overpowered us. They had more sophisticated weapons. They took all the phones they saw, released the suspects when they gained access and vandalised the police building.”
The source confided in newsmen that the attackers kidnapped one police officer and injured two other cops.
A community leader, Nokey Ebikam, told newsmen that the police divisional headquarters was not burnt.
According to him, the gunmen didn’t raze the police facility but freed the suspects in detention after vandalising the Division.
Another indigene of the area, Darlington Irobi, confirmed the attack on the police facility to newsmen.
He also disclosed that the suspects were freed by the rampaging gunmen.
WITHIN NIGERIA reports that police stations in Imo state have been under attack in recent times. On Monday, April 5, the state police headquarters was attacked by unidentified gunmen. The gunmen also attacked the state correctional center and released over 1800 inmates.
While the police allege that IPOB members are behind the attacks, the state governor, Hope Uzodinma, said disgruntled politicians and not IPOB members are behind the various attacks.