Unidentified gunmen on Monday, attacked the Umunze Police Station in Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra State.
The assailants struck in the early hours, firing shots into the air before breaking into the police facility.
According to the PUNCH, residents reported that the attackers targeted the police station, shooting at officers and using improvised explosive devices to set parts of the building on fire.
An eyewitness described the scene: “The masked hoodlums shot several times into the air as they approached the police station’s gate. It happened early this morning, and the gunshots woke up the neighborhood, causing panic. They injured some police officers as they forced their way in, burned parts of the building, and were about to cause more damage before the police fought back. The attackers then escaped.”
The spokesperson for the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident and said that security forces have launched a manhunt for the attackers. “The Joint Security Forces, including the Police, Army, Navy, and Civil Defence, recovered five unexploded improvised explosives,” Ikenga said. “The attackers, a suspected armed secessionist group, invaded the police facility with explosives and fired sporadically, causing part of the station to catch fire. Unfortunately, two police officers were killed during the gun battle. Their bodies have been recovered and taken to the morgue.”
The Commissioner of Police, CP Nnaghe Itam, visited the scene for an assessment and to enhance security measures. He called on anyone with information to come forward and assured that such information would be kept confidential.
The attack is the latest in a series of violent incidents in the area. Just a month ago, gunmen targeted the Oba Police Divisional Headquarters and the Oba Civic Centre, killing a police corporal and injuring several others. That attack also resulted in a fire at the facility.
