The Imo State Police Command has said it killed three suspected members of the Eastern Security Network but lost two police officers, during an alleged attack the grop on the Izombe Police Station in Oguta Local Government Area in the State.
Michael Abattam, Imo State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, announced this to journalists in Owerri, on Saturday.
The ESN is the militant wing of IPOB, the group fighting for self-determination of Nigeria’s southeast region.
The attack took place at about 2:45 pm on Friday, Abattam said and added that police succeeded in preventing the attackers from destroying the Police Station.
The police said in a statement that: “On 13/8/2021 at about 02:45 hours, armed bandits suspected to be members of the proscribed IPOB/ ESN terror group, came in their numbers to attack Izombe Police Station but could not gain access to the station due to the swift response of the ever-alert Imo Command’s Tactical teams and Personnel of Operation Restore Peace of the command who intercepted and repelled the bandits.
“The bandits who on sighting the police engaged them in a gun duel were subdued, due to the superior firepower of the police. They fled into the bush and in the process three of the bandits were neutralised and their arms, one pump action gun with two rounds of live cartridges and one locally made double barrel pistol with two expended cartridges were recovered from them to the station while others escaped into the bush with bullet wounds. Unfortunately, the command lost two of its gallant officers in the attack.”
“Meanwhile, the tactical teams are present in pursuit of the bandits and combing the bush for the arrest of the fleeing bandits and possible recovery of their arms. The command is using this medium to call on the good people of Imo State especially, the Izombe community to assist the police with credible information that will lead to the arrest of the fleeing bandits and to report to the nearest police station any person(s) seen with bullet wounds. Also, hospitals are advised to ensure that they report any person(s) who come to them for treatment of bullet wounds,” it said.
Imo State has become the headquarters of the activities of IPOB and its militant wing, ESN. Attacks by the group have led to the deaths of tens of security operatives and civilians in the state. In some cases, the civilians are killed by the group on mere allegations of being saboteurs or enemies of its cause.
