Some gunmen have killed a police Inspector, Abba O. Inalegwu and freed detainees in an attack launched at a police station in Obiozara in Ohaozara Local Government Area of the state.
FirstNews learnt that the bandits numbering over 15, also set the office of the DPO ablaze before leaving the scene with an AK-47 rifle belonging to the deceased inspector.
According to a top security source who doesn’t want his name on print, the hoodlums equally released five suspects from the police detention facility. He added that the gunmen destroyed vital documents in the administration department of the station while looking for arms and ammunition.
The source said, “They also torched five vehicles; three of which were exhibits and the other two were vehicles belonging to police officers serving in the station.
“The hoodlums who came in through Obiozara—Isu road on motorcycle and unmarked vehicles, first shot sporadically making the Vigilante stationed at Local Government Council to scamper for safety before proceeding to the station after which they escaped from Okposi—Uburu road, Ohaozara LGA.
“The hoodlums used locally manufactured petrol bomb, which usually catches fire after the explosion, to set ablaze the vehicles and the admin office on fire,” he narrated.
Recall that there have been series of attacks on police facilities in Ebonyi. Over ten policemen have been killed during these operations, while their rifles carted away by the gunmen.
Efforts to reach the police public relations officer in the state DSP Loveth Odah for comments was not successful.
Earlier on Wednesday, gunmen had also attacked a police station in Obosi, in the Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, killing two police inspectors and freeing all the suspects in the cell before razing the police station.
“A large number of gunmen attacked the station around 11:00 pm to 12:00 am last night, leaving two police inspectors, James and Awalu, dead. All the suspects in the cell were freed before they razed the police station,” source said.
The attack was a sad welcome to the state new Commissioner of Police, Christopher Owolabi, as it happened barely 24 hours after he assumed office.