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• Command arrests 4, recovers 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. The command said police operatives deployed for election duty in Abia during the presidential/National Assembly elections, arrested four suspects with firearms.
A statement by the state command Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Geoffrey Ogbonna, noted that the hoodlums, at about 9pm, 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 and 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 and 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 abandoning 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, he said, were admitted in 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).
A release by Ogbonna noted that the suspects were arrested on the 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 Vigilante Group of Nigeria deployed to the house of the first suspect, Irobi, at Itungwa to provide security.
The release reads: “The first 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 Vigilante 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 investigation.
