Gunmen set police station ablaze in Delta

A police station in Ashaka, a community in Ndokwa East LGA of Delta state, has been burnt by gunmen.

The security facility was attacked by several gunmen who reportedly razed the police station with improvised explosive devices (IED).

Bright Edafe, spokesman of the Delta police command, confirmed the incident to journalists.

Edafe said the gunmen, numbering about 20, attacked the police station and vehicles within the premises in the early hours of Sunday.

He added that no life was lost during the attack.

“Some enemies of the community and that of the police, all armed men numbering about twenty, stormed Ashaka police station,” he said.

“They threw IEDs at the station, shot sporadically, and set the police station that was built by the community/DESOPADEC ablaze, and also burnt down patrol vehicle also bought for the police division by good people of the community just to ensure that police presence is not felt.

“It is pertinent to state that no life was lost and no arm was taken away. However, the police will not relent in ensuring that law and order are maintained in any community.”

In another development, the spokesman said operatives of the state police command intercepted suspected armed robbers during a stop-and-search operation on Friday.

“In the same vein, on Friday, the men of Delta state command, while on stop-and-search duty along Patani-Bayelsa road, intercepted a Sienna bus with rigistration number LSR 813 XL with four occupants,” he said.

“On sighting the police, they quickly tried to manoeuvre in a bid to escape. The police went after them, and on searching the vehicle, one locally made Barretta pistol was recovered, and four suspects – Efe Oyenikoro, Felix George, Emmanuel Job and Joan Yapiteghe — were arrested.”

In April, gunmen attacked a bank in Issele-Uku, Aniocha north LGA of Delta state, and killed three persons, including a police officer.