Abia: Gunmen attack police station, injure 3

Abia Map

Police arrest 4, recover firearms

From Okey Sampson, Umuahia

Gunmen numbering about 20 have attacked the Nkporo Police Divisional Headquarters, in Ohafia Area Command, Abia State.

Three Police Constables among those on duty were inflicted varying degrees of injury by the gunmen.

This is even as the command said police operatives deployed for election duty in Abia during the Presidential/NASS Election, arrested four suspects with firearms.

According to a statement by the state command Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Geoffrey Ogbonna, the hoodlums at about 9 pm on February 26, invaded the station.

The statement added that the hoodlums who operated in three Toyota Sienna SUVs shot sporadically and dislodged policemen on duty.

The gunmen were said to have broken into the Station’s Armoury. They carted away one AK 47 Rifle loaded with 30 rounds of live ammunition, two Riot gunners and yet to be ascertained quantity of ammunition.

They also made away with sets of service uniforms kept in the armoury, offices belonging to the Armourer, and other policemen kept in the Station.

Ogbonna said a collaborative effort of the police and military, resulted in the abandonment and recovery of one Toyota Sienna SUV together with some service uniforms, shoes and personal effects taken away from the policemen.

Two of the injured policemen were admitted to the hospital while one was treated and discharged.

Meanwhile, the police in Abia have arrested four suspects and recovered four arms from them.

The suspects according to the police bulletin are Cyril Ubani Irobi (58), Destiny China (23), Emmanuel Asonye (30), Chukqudi Ajuzie (31) and Chisom Nwanjobi (20).

According to a release by Ogbonna, the suspects were arrested on election day at Itu Nwaka, Itungwa, in Obingwa Local Government Area by policemen on election duty.

The suspects on interrogation, allegedly claimed they were personnel of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria deployed to the house of the first suspect, Irobi at Itungwa to provide security.

According to the release, “The 1st suspect, Cyril Ubani, a board member of Abia State Teaching Hospital and oil marketer, confessed that the armed men are his security guards deployed by Vigilant Group of Nigeria on guard at his house but followed him to the polling unit close to his residence; where he learnt, there was chaos.”

Ogbonna said the suspects would be charged to court at the conclusion of an investigation.

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