IPOB/ESN Attack Imo Police Station, Kill Two Officers, Injure One 

The Nigeria Police Force has accused members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Eastern Security Network (ESN) of carrying out an attack on a police station in Imo State.

It was gathered that the suspected IPOB/ESN gunmen who attacked the police station located in Isu came with improvised explosive devices and shot sporadically to gain entrance.

They also burnt down a part of the facility and some cars while engaging in a gun battle with police operatives on duty.

Speaking about the incident in a statement on Monday, the Imo Police Command spokesman, CSP Michael Abattam said the attack took place around 11.30pm on Sunday.

Abattam said the Police operatives engaged the gunmen accordingly, chasing them off the premises but two officers died in the process while another one sustained a bullet injury to the head.

He added that the Police chased the rampaging gunmen to a hotel in town where some of the suspects were later arrested and items recovered from them.

“Armed men suspected to be members of the proscribed IPOB/ESN attacked the station from the rear axis because it has no perimeter wall.

“Shooting sporadically, they threw petrol bombs and improvised explosive devices (I.E.Ds) that ignited the station,” he said.

“Due to the superior fire-power of the Police, the hoodlums were dealt a heavy blow and they scampered for safety, running in different directions with various degrees of gunshot wounds,” he said.

On the casualty, Abattam disclosed that “some vehicles and part of the building of the division”.

“Unfortunately, two police officers paid the supreme price, while one sustained minor bullet injury on his head.”

The spokesman listed items recovered from the attackers to include 12 unregistered motorcycles and two vehicles – a Lexus RX350 SUV and a Lexus RX330 SUV.

The Commissioner of Police, Imo Command, CP Rabiu Hussaini, while consoling the families of the officers, who gallantly lost their lives, appealed to the good people of the state, not to allow terrorists touse their communities, hotels or houses as a meeting point for nefarious activities.

He then advised them not to relent in their efforts until all criminal elements and their partners are apprehended and made to face the full wrath of the law.