The Imo State Police Command, said the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra ( IPOB ) and it’s militia wing, the Eastern Security Network ( ESN ), have attacked the Obowo Divisional Police Headquarters in Imo State.
The Command stated that the gang attacked the station with petrol bombs and Improvised Explosive Devices, IED.
The Police Spokesman said they invaded the station through a forest behind the station.
The Network gathered police operatives and some of the Command’s Technical Teams confronted the gunmen in a fierce gun battle and prevented them from gaining entrance to the main headquarters of the division.
Imo State Police Command, Spokesman, CSP Michael Abattam, stated in Owerri in a statement on Monday, that the assailants approached the station from the near by bush close to the station.
According to him, the gunmen threw petrol bombs and Improvised Explosive Devices that fell on the transit camp behind the station and on parked vehicles.
He said the Police operatives and some of the Command’s Technical Teams responded swiftly in a fierce gun duel by preventing them from gaining entrance to the station.
He explained further that the police operatives went after the fleeing gunmen, who dashed into the forest, prompting the police officers on duty to go after them.
He stated that the police are combing the bush, while the items recovered on the spot are three undetonated Explosives, four expended AK 47 RIFLES ammunition and five live cartridges
He also seized from them are thirty- three expended cartridges, two mask, one pump action gun and a motor saw machine as the assilants abandoned the weapons.
“In the process, they forced the hoodlums into retreating into the forest with various degrees of bullet wounds.
“Also recovered were 33 expended cartridges, two masks, one pump action gun and a motorised sawing machine,’’ Abattam stated.
The spokesman said no life was lost in the attack adding that there was a minimal damage to the transit camp and some vehicles which were touched.
Abattam stated also that one police operative sustained minor gunshot wound and had been treated.
Acting Commissioner of Police, DCP Maman Giwa, has visited the scene and commended the officers and men for repelling the attack.
The Imo Police boss, urged Imo residents to continue to provide the police with the timely and credible information about criminals and their activities.
Giwa pleaded with the people to report any person seen treating bullet wounds within the community to the nearest police station.
An eyewitness told The Network that two persons were feared killed in the attack.
“The attack started around 2 a.m. and lasted for about three hours. We heard the sounds of various firearms and suspected dynamite during the attack.
“We do not know whether the assailants took away police weapons as they usually did,’’ he said.
Meanwhile, the attack brought the number of police divisional headquarters attacked in Imo in March to four. The affected stations are in Orsu, Oru East and Umuguma police divisional headquarters.