Four police officers, on Monday, were killed on suspicion of being members of a banned group Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) attacked the Awada Police Division Headquarters in Obosi, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, south-eastern Nigeria.
The incident happened around 2.20am
The police spokesman in the country, Tochukwu Ikenga, who announced this in a statement on Friday, said three of the suspected IPOB members were killed by the police during the attack.
This is the seventh in a string of attacks on police facilities in the country in a month.
Mr. Ikenga, the deputy superintendent of police, said IPOB members, together with their militant wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), in large numbers, attacked police facilities with improvised explosive devices and automatic firearms.
“In response to the attack, police operatives under the Anambra State police command engaged the attackers together with troops from the 302 Artillery Regiment of the Nigerian Army in a gunfight and three illegal IPOB/ESN members were injured,” he said.
The police spokesman said, during a mop-up operation by police and military personnel, two male suspects, believed to be involved in the attack, were arrested by the police.
“Unfortunately, four policemen paid the ultimate price when part of the station, one police patrol vehicle and three exhibition vehicles parked on the premises, were burnt by petrol bombs thrown at the station by the attackers,” he said.
Three Kalashnikov rifles, an automatic pump-action pistol, a brown Lexus 330 SUV, one suspected stolen motorcycle, and amulets were among the items recovered from the criminals during the operation, according to police.
READ ALSO: Two police officers were killed in Anambra
The Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, Echeng Echeng, has ordered the immediate deployment of all operational and investigative assets of the command to trace the fleeing suspects, Mr. Ikenga said.
Mr. Echeng appealed to the people of the region and the country to remain calm, assuring the police in the country that they will not give up in ensuring that the criminals who carried out the attacks are brought to book.
Increase the attack
Like other states in the south-east of Nigeria, security has deteriorated in Anambra State with frequent attacks by gunmen.
The attack came barely 24 hours after suspected IPOB members attacked the Police Division 3-3 Headquarters in Nkwelle-Ezunaka, Oyi Local Government Area of the state.
One policeman and six IPOB members killed in attack.
Two days ago, gunmen bombed the Ogidi Police Division Headquarters in Idemili North Local Government Area of the state. Three police officers they were killed in the attack.
The Ogidi attack came five days after the gunmen attacked police facilities were in the council area. One of the gunmen was killed in the attack, according to police.
Gunmen, there, attacked some officials from Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Ukpor, a community in Nnewi South Local Government Area of the state. But the police said the same thwarted attack.
About five days ago, gunmen kidnapped 15 members from National Youth Service Corps in the country. However, they are helped hours later by the police in the country.
Again, on February 3, gunmen attacked the Abagana Divisional Police Headquarters in Njikoka Local Government Area of the country. Two vigilante operators was killed by armed men during the attack.
Hours after the attack on Abagana, gunmen killed police officers and vigilante operations in Obosi, a community in Idemili North Local Government Area of the country. The gunmen also bombed a police anti-cult unit in the community during the attack.
Earlier this month, gunmen bombed an INEC local office in Ojoto, Idemili South Local Government Area and also attacked the Police Division Headquarters in Nnobi, another community in the same council area of the country, killing a 16-year-old boy and injuring a 15-year- old girl during the attack.
The Nigerian government has accused IPOB of being responsible for the deadly attacks in the region. But the group has repeatedly denied involvement in the attack.
IPOB led the agitation for an independent state of Biafra which it wants to carve out from the south-east and some parts of south-south Nigeria.
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