“We lost two of our men in the bid to repel the rampaging gunmen who attacked the Ubakala Police Station in Umuahia South local government area of Abia State by 00 hour of Monday”, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Abia State Police Command, Mr Geoffrey Ogbonna, a Superintendent of Police (SP), sorrowfully said.
“Besides that, the Ubakala Police Station was razed and exhibit vehicles, recovered from suspects as well as an operational vehicle of the police were also burnt by the hoodlums who invaded the station at about 12 am on Monday”, he added.
The police image maker told our reporter that the police got a tip off of the planned attack and fully mobilised men of the Mobile Police Squad to repel them. “But when they saw the superior fire power of the police, they retreated and went through the backside of the premises and to launch an attack with a suspected locally made Improvised Explosive Device (IED).
“It’s unfortunate! We’re appealing to the proprietors of hospital and clinics in the state to report any person or persons with bullet wounds who may visit their hospitals/clinics for treatment to the police,
“The police is also using this medium to appeal to the general public to volunteer information that may lead to the arrest of the hoodlums”, the Abia State Police Command image maker stated.
Reports coming from the area, spoke of fear and apprehension in the sleepy community as the police and the Ubakala Community count their losses after the over one hour gun duel between the police and the yet to be identified gunmen.
Items destroyed include: office equipment, exhibit vehicles, police operational vehicle, tables, chairs and documents as well as the building. Ogbonna told our reporter that the police will not rest on their oars until the hoodlums are arrested and prosecuted.
The police image maker, while answering a question, stated that the command cannot say whether police arms were carted away or not, but that the hoodlums met stiff resistance from the police. The police, he assured, have begun serious investigations on the matter.
Uche Nwosu is a two time Shell Petroleum PLC award winner in the year 2000;
He won the Shell Award on Investigative Journalism and Environmental Cleanliness.
