The Imo State Police Command in Owerri, has said that its operatives have killed four members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB and Eastern Security Network, ESN.
The men were killed while attempting to burn down the Police Division in Omuma, Oru East Local Goverment Area of the State.
Omuma is the country home of the Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma.
This was contained in a statement made available to The Network by the Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Michael Abattam, on Sunday.
Abatham said the Command was able to foil the gunmen who came to attack the station due to new strategies employed by the Command.
He said that the hoodlums suspected to be members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra/ Eastern Security Network terrorist group, in a large number, stormed the Omuma Police station, with various types of Improvised Explosive Devices.
According to him, they started shooting sporadically into the air on arrival to scare people away before carriying out their criminal activities.
He said that a combined team of battle ready police men and operatives of the Department of State Services repelled the attack killing four of the hoodlums.
“The Police Operatives engaged the hoodlums in fierce gun duel and “neutralised”four of them on the spot while others scampered into the bush having suffered a huge defeat, with a number of them sustaining various degrees of bullet wounds, while there was no casualty on the side of the joint security operatives.
“On the spot, five undetonated different capacities of Improvised Explosives Devices were recovered from the neutralised bandits and charms . The Police Bomb Unit have taken custody of the Bombs for detonation.” He added
The Police Spokesman stated further that the Command’s Tactical Teams is combing the bush to arrest the fleeing hoodlums in order to recover arms and ammunition from them.
He said that injured assailants cannot go far because of the huge damage inflicted on them.
He quoted the Commissioner of Police, CP Rabiu Hussaini, as having commended the officers and men for their gallantry, and urged them not to relent in their efforts until all criminal elements and their partners are flushed out of the state.
The CP added that those apprehended would be made to face the full wrath of the law.
Hussaini, appealed to the Imo people for continuous support and collaboration by giving security agencies especially the Police, credible and timely information.
He urged them to report any person seen treating bullet wounds or hiding within the community to the nearest police station for prompt action.
