As Gunmen raze Imo Commissioner’s Home…
Unknown Gunmen Torch Police Station in Delta state …
The Police Command in Imo has repelled another attempt by hoodlums to attack the command’s headquarters in Owerri on Sunday, killing five of the attackers in a gun duel.
The command also announced that it had began an in-depth investigation into circumstances surrounding the death of Uguchi Unachukwu, who returned home from Germany and was allegedly murdered on May 31 in Imo.
The Commissioner of Police in Imo, CP Abutu Yaro confirmed the failed attack in a statement signed by the command’s Spokesman, SP Bala Alkana.
Yaro said gallant officers killed five of the hoodlums during crossfire, while others fled with bullet injuries.
“Hoodlums masquerading as unknown gunmen attempted an attack on the police headquarters this morning but suffered a huge defeat.
“They made efforts to access the police headquarters through the Works Layout around Avan Nursery and Primary School but were vehemently repelled.
“They came in a white Hummer Bus, five of the hoodlums were killed during an exchange of fire and others were injured.
“The Hummer bus was recovered with four Ak47 rifles, previously stolen from the police during a recent attack on its station, while officers have been deployed to apprehend the fleeing hoodlums.
On Unachukwu’s death, the police commissioner said the command would unravel circumstances leading to the death.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Unachukwu was shot dead on his way to the Sam Mbakwe Airport to catch a flight to travel back to Germany.
He was allegedly murdered in front of his wife and two children by men in a military uniform.
The CP vowed to stop at nothing to unravel the incident.
“On May 31, 2021, at about 0804 hours, the deceased person was alleged to have been shot by personnel suspected to be staff of 211 Regiment of the Nigerian Air Force, responsible for the security of the International Airport.
“The deceased is said to be on his way to catch a flight to Lagos, a survivor stated that one of the Air Force operatives shot the car of Unachukwu when he failed to stop at the Air Force checkpoint after they had flagged him down.
“The Air Force team at the toll gate, who were already on red alert especially considering the recent killing of a high-profile politician around the same area, intercepted a fast-approaching Mercedes Benz vehicle.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the personnel flagged down the vehicle and ordered the driver to park by the roadside for search but the driver who at first slowed down and pretended to move to the side of the road, suddenly took off.
“According to the Air Force, being suspicious of the mission of the occupants of the said vehicle at the International Airport, they made effort to demobilise the vehicle and when the vehicle eventually came to a halt, the operatives rounded it and ordered the occupants out.
“It was at this point that a female passenger in the car mentioned that the man driving the vehicle was her husband and that he was rushing to catch his flight.
“He was, however, rushed to hospital by the Air Force team for medical attention where the doctors on duty made frantic efforts to stabilise him, but he later died at about 1900 hours of the same date.
“We sue for calm and assure the family and friends of the deceased that no stone will be left unturned in unravelling the circumstances surrounding the death,” the statement. (NAN)
Still in Imo Gunmen have razed the country home of Imo Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Chief Declan Emelumba in Oru East Local Government Area.
The incident, which occurred around 1 am on Sunday, destroyed all property in the Commissioner’s residence.
According to sources, the gunmen broke down his gate and set the house on fire without any hindrance.
Chief Emelumba confirmed the incident to The Nation.
He said: “Early hours of today(Sunday) between 1am and 2am, some people called me from the village that heavily armed gunmen stormed my compound, broke the gate and set the buildings ablaze.
“My gateman, who was the only person around when the gunmen came, managed to escape unhurt but the bandits had easy access to the building and completely burnt down everything.”
In Delta state there was tension at Ashaka in Ndokwa East Local Government Area of as over 20 unknown gunmen on Sunday attacked a police station in the community with explosives believed to be improvised explosive devices (IED).
PUNCH Metro gathered that the gunmen who were repelled by the police operatives, however, burnt down the station.
Though no life was said to have been lost in the attack, the hoodlums, however, set ablaze the operational vehicles of the command.
Confirming the incident, the command spokesman in the state, DSP Bright Edafe said the attack happened in the early hours of Sunday around 1am.
He said, “Some enemies of the community and that of the police, all armed men numbering about twenty, stormed Ashaka Police Station.
“They threw IEDs at the station, shot sporadically, and set the police station that was built by the community/DESOPADEC ablaze, and also burnt down patrol vehicle also bought for the police division by good people of the community just to ensure that police presence is not felt.
“It is pertinent to state that no life was lost and no arm was taken away. However, the police will not relent in ensuring that law and order are maintained in any community.”
Edafe said unprovoked attacks on the police will not deter the Force from providing the needed security in any community in Delta State, stressing that the hoodlums who perpetrated this dastardly act will certainly not go free, as serious efforts were on to arrest them and bring them to book.
In another development, a police joint team killed six suspected armed robbers/kidnappers during a serious gun duel.
According to the PPRO, on Friday, acting on a tip-off, the Commissioner of Police, Delta State, deployed joint tactical teams of the command who stormed the hideout of suspected armed robbers/kidnappers, engaged the hoodlums in a serious gun duel
He said the joint team in the process killed six of them, while others fled with gunshot injuries into the bush. One Ak-47 rifle, one pump action gun, one AK-47 magazine with 25 live ammunition were recovered.
“In the same vein, on Friday, the men of Delta State Command while on stop and search duty along Patani-Bayelsa Road intercepted a Sienna bus with Reg. no. LSR 813 XL with four occupants.
“On sighting the police, they quickly tried to manoeuvre in a bid to escape. The police went after them, and on searching the vehicle, one locally made Barretta Pistol was recovered, and four suspects – Efe Oyenikoro, Felix George, Emmanuel Job and Joan Yapiteghe were arrested,” he added.
Meanwhile,in Ogun one of the fleeing herdsmen who reportedly abducted a tipper driver in Ogun State on Friday has been found dead in the bush, DAILY POST has gathered.
Our correspondent reported on Saturday that one of the kidnappers was shot dead during a gun duel with the police at Mologede, Odeda Local Government Area of Ogun State.
Other members of the gang were said to have escaped with gunshot injuries.
the Police said, “one of the kidnappers, who escaped with bullets wound has been found dead in the bush, while another one was arrested.”
Giving an update on Sunday, the state police spokesman, Abimbola Oyeyemi, told DAILY POST that the DPO of Bode Olude division, DSP Durojaye Rotimi and embarked on a massive manhunt for the escaped herdsmen as ordered by the Commissioner of Police, Edward Ajogun.
Oyeyemi said the entire forest of Mologede was combed and in the process, the lifeless body of one of the kidnappers was found while another with bullet wounds was apprehended.
The arrested suspect, who police said was an ex-convict from Ibadan, Oyo State, identified himself as Mohammed Bello.
It was added that packets of tramadol and weed suspected to be Indian hemp were recovered from the suspected kidnapper.
The Commissioner of Police directed he be taken to the state CIID for further investigation and prosecution.
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