By Cajetan Mmuta
Unknown gunmen on Monday morning attacked the zone 13 headquarters of the Nigeria Police Force located at Ukpor in Anambra state.

Several buildings within the complex and vehicles parked on the premises were set on fire during the attack on the zonal command.

It was gathered that the suspected gunmen had engaged policemen on night duty in fierce gun battle but overpowered the policemen in the process.

Two policemen sustained serious gunshot wounds and are presently receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital in the state.

Although, no group has laid claim to the attack.

Men of the state Fire Service were later called in to quench the raging fire which engulfed the area.

The latest incident by gunmen came after three weeks the headquarters of the police command and Correctional Centre in Owerri, Imo state capital and four other police stations were attacked and set ablaze including over 50 vehicles torched during the ugly incident carried by unknown gunmen.

More than 2, 200 inmates in the cells of the police and Correctional Centre have so far been set free during the sudden attacks on their facilities.

Police confirm attack on zonal headquarters in Anambra

 In addition, arms and ammunition belonging to the security operatives were carted away by the rampaging gunmen.

Both the federal and Imo state governments have pointed accusing fingers at members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its security outfit, Easter Security Network (ESN) as the mastermind of the attacks on security operatives and its facilities but the body has since denied any involvement in the onslaught.

Similar attacks had been targeted on security personnel in different towns which led to the death of over 18 policemen and four Naval officers in Anambra state.

It would be recalled that former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Professor Charles Soludo had escaped death by whiskers recently following a deadly attack by suspected gunmen who swooped on him and his campaign team during a meeting youths at his country home Isuofia in which three policemen attached to him were killed.  

Five days ago, ten suspected armed men had at about 4 pm attacked the Oye Agu branch of First Bank PLC and destroyed two vehicles in Abagana town in Njikoka local government area of the state.

The suspected were also said to have hoisted a Biafran flag within the bank’s premises.

Worse still, Awka the state capital and Okija in Ihiala local government area have witnessed an orgy of bloody clashes by suspected rival secret cult members who leftover 15 persons dead in the past month.

However, the Police Public Relations Officer of the state command, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, when contacted on the latest attack on the Zone 13 commands of the force referred this paper to the PPRO of the zone, DSP Nkeiruka Nwode

But Nwode when contacted said operatives of the force had repelled the attackers, recovered one General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) and several ammunition. 

According to the ZPPRO, “Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force attached to Zone-13 Headquarters, Ukpo, Anambra State have successfully repelled an attack on the Zonal Headquarters by criminal elements in the early hours of today, 19th April 2021.”

Nwode disclosed that “The attackers, who came in their numbers shooting sporadically in order to gain access to the facility, were repelled by Police personnel on duty who showed profound gallantry in the face of the seemingly overwhelming attack.”

“Following the inability of the attackers to access the facility, they cowardly threw petrol bombs and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) on vehicles within the periphery of the Headquarters. One of the criminal elements was neutralized during the exchange of gunfire between the Police and the attackers while many of the gang members escaped with gunshots injuries.”

“One L7A2 General-Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG), Ninety-two rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition, one locally-made smoke pistol and an axe were recovered by the Police.”

 “Regrettably, two police operatives sustained gunshot injuries and are presently receiving treatment.” 

The Commissioner of Police in the State Mr Kuryas Monday, who is standing in for the Zonal Assistant Inspector General of Police, had commended the Police operatives for putting up a strong resistance against the attackers.

He assured that the command would lead a special operation aimed at tracing, identifying and arresting the perpetrators in order to bring them to book.

 He also called on proprietors of private and public (including unorthodox) medical facilities in and around Anambra state to admit, but report anyone found seeking medical attention for bullet wounds and related injuries to the nearest police station. 

Imo attack: I-G orders arrest, prosecution of IPOB, ESN

Kuryas further appealed to the citizens in the State not to panic but to go about their lawful duties. While assuring of the Command’s resolve to re-dominate, reclaim and secure all public spaces as directed by the Inspector General of Police, the CP enjoins members of the public to continue to support the Police with vital and timely information on the activities of criminals and other subversive elements within their respective communities.

At the moment, there are growing security concerns among politicians and residents of Anambra, especially as the governorship election scheduled by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) comes up on November 6 this year.

The State Governor Willie Obiano had recently raised the alarm over the worsening state of security in Anambra state and called for collective measures by Ndi Anambra towards tackling the menace of criminal elements that good the state by the jugular.