Armed men have attacked the Abagana Divisional Police Headquarters Njikoka Regional Government Anambra State, south-eastern Nigeria.
The incident happened on Friday at 9 pm.
Sources said the gunmen fired several shots during the attack, before setting fire to the police facility.
The attack lasted about 45 minutes, it is understood.
A resident, who only identified himself as Jude, spoke about two vigilante operatives patrolling the community killed during an attack by gunmen, while many others sustained injuries.
“I was watching the Chelsea Vs Fulham match when they attacked. The gunmen shot three vigilantes. I saw two dead bodies lying on the side of the road. They also set the police station on fire,” he said.
The police spokesman in Anambra State, Tochukwu Ikenga, has confirmed the attack in a statement made available to PREMIUM TIMES.
Mr. Ikenga, the deputy superintendent of police, however, said only two vigilante operatives were killed by gunmen in the attack.
“The gunmen earlier attacked Anambra State Vigilante Operatives on patrol, killing two operatives,” he said.
The police spokesperson said the gunmen, when they approached the Abagana Police Divisional Headquarters after attacking the vigilante operatives, tried to enter the police facility but were resisted by the operatives.
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“The police operation engaged the gunmen in a gunfight, due to the superior firepower of the police and in an attempt to make the gunmen flee the scene, (the gunmen) threw a patrol bomb into the station, which caused a fire and hit the roof of an old building at the station,” said Mr Ikenga.
He, however, said firefighters in the country responded quickly and extinguished the fire.
He said the police had stepped up patrolling in the area to prevent law and order violations.
Increase the attack
Like other states in the south-east of Nigeria, security has deteriorated in Anambra State with frequent attacks by gunmen.
These attacks often target security agencies, government officials and facilities.
The latest attack comes less than a day after the gunman 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.
About three days ago, gunmen bombed an Independent National Electoral Commission 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 state, killing a 16-year-old boy and injuring a 15-year-old girl during attack.
The Nigerian government has accused the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) of being responsible for deadly attacks in the region. But the group has repeatedly denied involvement in the attack.
IPOB is the main agitating group for an independent state of Biafra which they want to carve out of the south-east and some parts of south-south Nigeria.
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