Gunmen bomb Anambra police station

It was alleged that the suspects in the custody of the police division were freed by the gunmen who spent hours during the incident.

It was also gathered that the hoodlums broke into the division’s armoury during the attack.

However, it was not clear whether they were able to cart away arms and ammunition from the station.

It was learnt that policemen on duty had engaged the gunmen in a fierce battle as residents within the divisional headquarters scampered for safety.

No casualty has been identified as at the time of this report.

A team of firefighters were said to have been deployed to assist the police personnel to put out the fire.

Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Toochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident to our correspondent.

He disclosed that one AK-47 riffle abandoned by the fleeing gunmen was recovered from the scene of the attack.

According to Ikenga, “Our operatives in the early hours of today 28/12/2022 engaged some gunmen who attacked Ihiala police divisional headquarters and recovered one abandoned Ak47 rifle.

“The gunmen escape the scene due to the superior fire of the police operatives, and no casualty was recorded. Unfortunately, the explosives the gunmen threw inside the police station building had already ignited a fire and affected the building.

“The fire has been put out. Operation is still ongoing in the area, further details shall be communicated.”

Recall that Ihiala and other communities around it such as Azia, Orsumuoghu, Lilu, Uli communities, as well as nearby communities of Okija and Ozubulu in Ekwusigo Local Government Area have become battlegrounds for unknown gunmen.

Operatives of the State Joint Security Taskforce set up by the state government have taken the battle to the hoodlums.

Also, popular native doctors reported to be collaborators of the gunmen had been arrested alongside the hoodlums while buildings marked as hideouts had been demolished and shrines burnt down during raids.