Gunmen suspected to be members of the Eastern Security Network, ESN, an armed group of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, early hours of Monday, attacked Obowo Police Station in Obowo Local Government Area of Imo state, with petrol bombs and explosive devices, causing damages and injuring some police officers on duty.
The development was confirmed by State Police Public Relations Officers, PPRO, Micheal Abattam, in Owerri.
He said the hoodlums launched the attack from the thick forest around the Police station from the rear side of the police building.
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However, the police said the officers on duty responded immediately engaged the hoodlums and chased them away back to the forest. He said during the chase that some arms and ammunition were recovered including the recovery of three undetonated explosives.
According to the Police, “On the 28th day of March 2022 at about 0200 hours, armed men suspected to be members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra ( IPOB )/ Eastern Security Network ( ESN ), its militia wing came in their numbers from the rear of the division, which is an ungoverned forest, threw petrol bombs and Improvised Explosive Devices(IED) that fell on the transit camp and a vehicle, shooting sporadically.
“The police operatives of the division and some of the Command’s Tactical Teams responded swiftly, engaging the hoodlums in a fierce gun duel preventing them from gaining entrance to the station and in the process forced the hoodlums into retreating and they escaped back into the forest with various degrees of bullet wounds.
“The police operatives gave them a hot chase and while combing the bush the following items were recovered on the spot: three(3) undetonated Explosives, four(4) expended AK 47 RIFLES ammunition, five(5) live cartridges, thirty-three (33) expended cartridges, two masks, one pump action gun and a motor saw machine.”
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“Meanwhile, apart from the minimal damage to the transit camp and a vehicle, no life was lost. However, the police operative who sustained a minor gunshot injury has been treated,” Police said.
