Gunmen attack police station in Abia, steal weapons from armoury

Gunmen, on Sunday, attacked a police divisional headquarters in Nkporo, Ohafia LGA of Abia state.

Geoffrey Ogbonna, the police spokesperson in Abia, confirmed the attack in a statement shared with TheCable.

He said the assailants invaded the police station in three Toyota sienna vehicles.

The police spokesperson said they “dislodged” the officers on duty and “broke into the station’s armoury”.

He said weapons looted from the armoury include one AK 47 rifle loaded with 30 rounds of live ammunition, two riot gunners and a “yet to be ascertained quantity of ammunition”.

“They also made away with sets of service uniforms kept in the armoury and offices belonging to the armourer and other policemen putting up in the station,” he said.

He said three police constables were “inflicted with varying degrees of injury”.

“However, a prompt collaborative effort of the police and military resulted in the abandon and recovery of one Toyota sienna van together with some service uniforms, shoes and personal effects taken away from the policemen,” he said.

“Two of the injured policemen are admitted to the hospital while one was treated and discharged.”

The police spokesperson said investigations have commenced to recover the stolen arms and ammunition and to arrest the culprits.

He said Mustapha Bala, police commissioner in Abia, during a visit to the scene, said “the porosity of the station made it possible for the hoodlums to invade the premises”.

The commissioner asked the state and local government as well as critical stakeholders to “embrace the principles of community safety partnership to erect fences that will link up with the existing one around the station”.