Two killed in Imo, police station razed in Abia, detainees freed

Two unknown gunmen have been killed in a joint operation carried out by the Nigerian Army,  Air Force and the Police in Imo State.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Abutu Yaro, confirmed this to newsmen in Owerri on Thursday.
Yaro said that the bandits were killed in a gun battle between the military and the unidentified gunmen at Ikenanzizi in Obowo Local Government Area of the state.
He disclosed that two rifles, five motorcycles, a Lexus jeep and one 18 seater bus were recovered from the gunmen.
The commissioner further said that the operation was carried out in line with Federal Government’s resolve to rid the country of ravaging insecurity.
  “It was a joint operation of the Army, Airforce and Police; two unknown gunmen were killed in the process and investigation is ongoing.
He, however, said that the team could lay hands on only one corpse as according to him, the hoodlums were able to escape with the second corpse.
 “We have one corpse but they escaped with the other one and it has been deposited at the Federal Medical Centre Owerri, morgue,” he said.
He called on residents of the state to remain calm and go about their lawful activities adding that security agencies had  the situation under “firm” control.
In Abia State, dare-devil gunmen, numbering at least 100, attacked Bende Divisional Police Station, leaving two operatives with gunshot wounds.
Eyewitness account said the hoodlums set the station on fire about 11pm on Wednesday.
“We heard a cacophony of gunshots around 10.45pm and when we rushed outside, we saw the station on fire.
“At that point, it dawned on us that the station was under attack so everybody began to scamper for safety,” the eyewitness said on the condition of anonymity.
Spokesman of the state command, SP Godfrey Ogbonna, confirmed the attack in Umuahia on Thursday.
Ogbonna said the operatives were shot in the leg and that the attackers also burnt down the generator house and a multi-purpose building, belonging to Bende Local Government.
He said the hoodlums later released criminal suspects, who were detained at the station.
“They also burnt two vehicles, including the Divisional Police Officer’s Highlander Jeep, and three motorcycles, parked at the station,” he said.
Ogbonna said that it was not clear how the bandits arrived at the place in their numbers.
“We do not know yet how they all gathered to execute the attack at the station.
“May be they parked their vehicles away from their target and walked through footpaths to the place,” he said.
He said the command had embarked on full investigations into the incident and other recent gunmen attacks in various parts of the state.
The police station is located at the main entrance to Bende council headquarters.
The attack happened barely six hours after Governor Okezie Ikpeazu left the council premises, venue of the reception of a former legislator, Nnenna Ukeje, back to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Ukeje dumped PDP for the All Progressives Congress in 2019 after losing the party’s ticket to return to the House of Representatives for the fourth tenure.
Gunmen recently embarked on serial attacks on government facilitites in Abia, including police formations and office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The violent attacks have left many operatives dead with many others sustaining gunshot wounds.