By Emmanuel Adeleke
Hoodlums in the early hours of Saturday bombed Umuguma Divisional Police Headquarters, in Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo state.
The attackers also killed two police officers who were on duty.
It was gathered that the gunmen, who came with guns and Explosive Ordinance Disposals, immediately opened fire on the divisional headquarters after blocking the roads leading in and out of the station, including the one close to the council headquarters.
According to The Punch, residents of the area said the sounds of the weapons the attackers used frightened, causing many of them to ran into the bush.
A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity with Newsmen, said:
“These guys are mean. On arrival, they blocked the roads, threw their dynamite into the police station and equally opened fire. They now waited to attack officers who ran out for safety.
“Unfortunately, two police constabularies by name Ifeanyi and Iyke were killed. Ifeanyi was from Umunkwo in Umuguma community here. He was a final year student at the Imo state University in Owerri. I knew him. It is just one year now he was recruited. He was trying to scale the fence when they used machete and cut him. He was sliced. The young man died on the spot. This is very unfortunate.
“The second victim, Iyke, was from Avu community. They shot him in one of his legs as he fled. He has been found dead now at a water stand where he possibly went to drink water. This is very unfortunate.”
Another source said: “Fire fighters just quenched the fire now. The corpses of the two constabularies are here. They are about to evacuate them. This is very saddening. The entire place is in a state of fear and confusion as we didn’t sleep last night. The sounds of the guns and bombs were too frightening. The invasion was deadly. We are in God’s hands in this state.”
The attack came few hours after the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 9, Umuahia, Isaac Akinmoyede, had a one-day working visit to the state.
