The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, has vowed that those behind the attack on the headquarters of the Police and Correctional Service in Imo state will be arrested and brought to book.
He, therefore, charged the Commissioner of Police in charge of Imo state and the Special Investigation Team deployed to the state to ensure that they fish out and all those involve in the attack on Imo State Police Command Headquarters and that of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCS) in Owerri in the early hours of Monday.
In a statement by the Force Spokesman, Frank Mba, the IGP disclosed that the Amoury which was the main target of the criminals was intact and that “the police suffered no human casualty, apart from a police Constable who sustained a minor bullet wound on his shoulder.”
IGP Mohammed has therefore, ordered the immediate deployment of additional units of Police Mobile Force (PMF) and other Police Tactical Squads to Imo State to strengthen security in the State and prevent further attacks on security formations or any other critical national infrastructure in the State.
He directed the Commissioner of Police, Imo State Command and a new Special Investigation Team (specifically set up to deal with cases of incessant attacks on security formation/operatives in the region), to carry out what he described as a holistic investigations into the incident with a view to fishing-out the perpetrators and bringing them to justice.
The CP, according to the terms of reference given to him by the IGP, is to harness the security reinforcement squads and other operational assets at his disposal to take the battle to the door-steps of the attackers and prevent any further attack anywhere within the State and its environs.
While describing the deliberate and criminal attack on security operatives as an attack on the soul of the nation, the IGP called on leaders in Imo State, the South-East and other parts of the country to speak out against the unfolding violence and criminality.
He appealed to residents of the state to avail the Police and other security agencies with useful information that can assist in identifying and arresting the criminals.
Mohammed further vowed that the perpetrators will be brought to book, noting that the Force is doing all within its powers to curb the activities of unscrupulous elements hell-bent on threatening the unity, safety, security and socio-economic wellbeing of Nigerians.
The statement revealed that “preliminary investigations have revealed that the attackers, who came in their numbers with sophisticated weapons such as General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMGs), Sub-Machine Guns (SMGs), AK49 rifles, Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPGs), Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), are members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB)/Eastern Security Network (ESN).
“The attempt by the attackers to gain access to the Police armoury at the Headquarters was totally and appropriately resisted by Police operatives on duty who repelled the attackers and prevented them from breaking-in and looting the armoury.”
The statement however, disclosed that one of the operational vehicles of the attackers has been recovered by the Police and is currently being subjected to forensic scrutiny and investigations.
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