Imo State Police operatives killed three suspected members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, in a gun battle in Agwa, Oguta Local Government Area of Imo state, and one officer was injured.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Michael Abattam, informed reporters of this during a parade of some of the suspects’ lifeless bodies at the command’s headquarters in Owerri on Thursday.
The police said the incident happened last Wednesday and that they acted after receiving a distress call from the Agwa community that the community was being attacked by hoodlums.
They said at first, the hoodlums attacked the office of the Agwa Central Vigilante group and as they were heading to attack the Agwa police station, on getting there the police tactical teams engaged them. The police killed three of the said hoodlums and one of the officers was injured. The police said three vehicles belonging to the hoodlums were recovered.
Also, the Police said they are still trailing other suspects who fled into the bushes with gunshot injuries.
On how it happened the police said: “Sequel to the command’s determination to curb the menace of terrorism in the state, today 18/01/2023 at about 1130hrs, in response to a distress call that, hoodlums suspected to be members of the Proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed affiliate Eastern Security Network (ESN) had attacked Agwa Central Vigilante Group, burning down their office and are proceeding to attack and set ablaze Agwa Police Station both in Oguta LGA of Imo State, the combatant Command’s Tactical Teams swiftly mobilized to the area.
“Having been informed that the hoodlums had cordoned the station, the police operatives tactically manoeuvred their way into the station joined the operatives of the division and professionally engaged the hoodlums in a fierce gun duel, and in the process three of the hoodlums were neutralized while others scampered for safety into the adjoining bushes with various degrees of gunshot wounds, abandoning three of their operational vehicles.”
“The operatives on combing the bush, the following Items were recovered : (1) two (2) Pump Action guns, (2) two (2) Double Barrel guns, (3) twenty-four (24) rounds or live ammunition, (4) twelve (12) expended cartridges,(5) one (1) Improvised Explosive Device, (6) three (3) operational vehicles – one green coloured Lexus 470GL, one black coloured Toyota Highlander, one Oxblood coloured minibus, (6) two (2) motorcycles, (7) one (1) iron box, (8) one (1) travelling bag and assorted charms.