ANARCHY WORSENS IN IMO, ANOTHER POLICE STATION BURNTON APRIL 7, 2021 7:50 OKNEWS

Anarchy worsens in Imo, another Police station burnt

ON APRIL 7, 2021 

7:50 OKNEWS

…3 vehicles burnt, no loss of arms, lives —Police

…Use your arms to defend  yourselves, Uzodimma tells police officers

…There’s no hiding place for IPOB members, says immediate past IGP, orders use of maximum force  …Hoodlums’re cowards, resist them, Osinbajo  advises Imolites

…MASSOB accuses FG of being sponsor of attacks in S-East

…One killed, 36 vehicles burnt, 68 detainees escaped —Imo CP

…Attack, plot to destabilise S-East —HURIWA

…FG to pardon escaped inmates who return voluntarily —Aregbesola

By Vincent Ujumadu, Chinonso Alozie & Dirisu Yakubu

OWERRI—Barely twenty-four hours after gunmen attacked Owerri Prisons and Imo State Police Command headquarters, setting on fire and freeing 1844 inmates, another police station was razed yesterday at Ehime Mbano by suspected hoodlums linked to Eastern Security Network, ESN.

Recall that in the last three months, no fewer than 25 police stations were burnt in the South-East and South-South regions of the country, while 67 security men were killed.

Vanguard gathered that the hoodlums also attacked suspected killer herdsmen along Umuihi road in Ihitte/Uboma Local Government Area at about 18:30 pm.

An eyewitness told Vanguard: “The hoodlums sang Biafra songs, they bombed Ehime Mbano police station, entered it and took way some ammunition.

”Thereafter, they drove towards Umuahia road. They also freed some of their members in the police custody. After the attack, they ran away, singing songs of victory, that they had got independence to have their own country.”

Reacting to the attack, the Imo State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Orlando Ikeokwo, said: “Ehime Mbano Division has just been attacked, no casualty on the part of Police, no loss of arm, three vehicles burnt.”

Also yesterday, Governor Hope Uzodinma, asked  police officers in the state to use their arms to defend themselves against criminals.

Uzodimma gave the charge when the  immediate past Inspector General of Police,IGP,  Mohammed Adamu, visited the state yesterday to assess the damage caused by the attacks on the federal prison and state police command headquarters.

This is even as Vice President Yemi Osinbajo asked the people of the state to resist attempt by hoodlums to destabilise the state, describing the attackers as cowards.

Uzodimma, who described the attack on government institutions in the state, including the Prisons and Police command headquarters as an attack on the integrity of the government, said:  “If you can’t attack them, you can at least use your rifles to defend yourselves. Any attack on the police formation is an insult to us as a government. We must take charge, take control and ensure discipline.

“We must not condone attacks by criminals on government. Police must not be compromised so that the integrity of government will remain intact. This unfortunate tragedy can only be condemned by every reasonable mind. The intention was to put fear into our people and make them vulnerable.”

The governor also said he had commissioned a detailed investigation into the attack in a bid to finding out the perpetrators and masterminds of the ugly incident.

“Luckily for us, no life was lost. I can assure you that my government working with security agencies, shall rise to the occasion to get to the end of the matter,” the governor said.