Unknown gunmen, on Monday shot dead five policemen in Imo State and also set ablaze the Okigwe South Police Area Command in Orieagu in the Ehime Mbano Local Government Area of the state.
It was learnt that the gunmen, on arrival, immediately started shooting sporadically at the policemen at the station, who made initial attempts to resist them.
The gunmen were also said to have set free all the suspects in the station’s cells while carting away arms.
Security sources said that the gunmen shot dead about six policemen during the attack. They were also said to have later set ablaze the police station.
“Our area command headquarters in Okigwe south is on fire. Six policemen shot dead. They also freed the suspects before igniting a fire on the facility.”
But the state Police Public Relations Officer, Orlando Ikeokwu, said that the gunmen killed five policemen while one got missing during the attack.
The PPRO said that the command had begun an investigation of the attack on the station.