The police in Imo State say they have killed three suspected members of a banned group Indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB) in Agwa, a community in Oguta Local Government Area of the state.
The spokesman for the police in the country, Michael Abattam, announced this in a statement on Thursday.
Mr Abattam, the chief superintendent of police, said the police tactical team was mobilized in response to a distress call on Wednesday when suspected members of IPOB and its militant wing, Eastern Security Network, attacked the Agwa Central Vigilante Group and destroyed the facility.
The police spokesperson also said the criminals were reportedly planning to attack the Agwa Police Station in the area.
“After being informed that the thugs had surrounded the station, the police officers tactically entered the station, joined the operation of the division and professionally engaged the criminals in a fierce gun battle, and in the process, three of the thugs were neutral, ” he said.
Mr. Abattam said some of the hoodlums ran into the adjacent bush with various degrees of gunshot wounds and abandoned their three vehicles.
A police spokesperson said the operatives recovered various weapons and ammunition after combing the bushes during the operation.
Two pump-action rifles, two double-barreled rifles, 24 rounds of live ammunition, 12 spent cartridges and one improvised explosive device were among the items recovered during the operation, according to police.
Others are: Three operational vehicles belonging to the armed men, a Lexus 470 SUV, a black Toyota Highlander SUV, one minibus, two motorcycles, one iron box, a traveling bag and various charms.
He said the police have recovered the corpses of the hoodlums killed and started an investigation to trace the fleeing suspect.
Several police operatives who sustained injuries during the shootout with the gunmen are responding to treatment at hospitals in the country, he said.
Mr. Abattam urged the citizens of the country to cooperate with the police and other security agencies in the fight against insecurity.
He asked residents to report to police any suspicious activity or people seen treating gunshot wounds in their community.
More insecure
Like other states in the south-east of Nigeria, security has deteriorated in Imo State with frequent attacks by armed men.
These attacks often target security agencies, government officials and facilities.
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 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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