Black Monday: Police kill six gunmen in Imo .

 

 

By Phil Okose Onitsha and AHMED MARI, , Maiduguri

 

 

It was another bloody Monday in the Southeast region as six gunmen suspected to be members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed affiliate, Eastern Security Network (ESN) were killed in Orlu, Imo State, in a bloody gun duel with the police today.

 

In the same vein, at least two persons, allegedly enforcing Monday’s sit-at-home order in Anambra, were killed during a gun battle with police operatives.

 

 

Those in Imo were killed when they reportedly attempted to burn down the Palace of the Imo State Chairman of the Council of Traditional Rulers, His Royal Highness Eze Dr E. C Okeke.

 

A report in the Vanguard newspaper said the incident, which took place on Monday around 8 am, occurred when the hoodlums in their numbers were sighted in three Hilux vehicles shooting sporadically, fiercely advancing towards the Eze’s Palace to unleash mayhem.

 

Confirming the incident, police spokesman, CSP Michael Abattam, said on receipt of the information, the Command’s Tactical Team joined by the military immediately mobilized and rushed to the palace.

 

“On their way, the hoodlums on sighting the combined team engaged them in a gun duel, throwing petrol bombs. The gallant team responded, positioning themselves professionally,” Abattam said.

 

“In the exchange of gun fire that ensued, the hoodlums were overwhelmed due to the superior fire-power of the combined team and in the process, six of the hoodlums were neutralized while others escaped with various degrees of gunshot injuries.”

 

 

According to police spokesperson, the operatives recovered one pump action gun, three blood stained cutlasses and three Hilux Vehicles suspected to have been snatched from innocent citizens.

 

He said calm has been restored in the area and the corpses of the neutralized bandits removed and deposited in the mortuary.

 

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Anambra State, DSP Toochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the killing of the two enforcers in a statement issued in Awka and made available to newsmen.

 

 

 

Bloody Monday in Southeast: Police kill six gunmen in Imo, two in AnambraA report by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quoted Ikenga as saying that the incident occurred in Umunze, the headquarters of Orumba South Local Government Area.

 

He explained that trouble started when “the hoodlums” started obstructing the movement of road users, who were going about their lawful businesses.

 

He added that the deceased forcefully collected motorcycles and tricycles from their operators, chased the passengers away and set the machines on fire.

 

He said: “The operatives on crime prevention patrol on Umunze Road in the early hours of Monday, May 16 engaged armed gunmen allegedly enforcing sit-at-home in the state.

 

“The operatives neutralised two of the miscreants and recovered a white Toyota Hiace Bus with no registration number.”

 

According to him, the command has intensified surveillance within the state to ensure that the situation is brought under control.

 

Also, No fewer than five persons that included a soldier, were alleged to have been killed by unknown Gunmen and properties estimated into millions of naira set ablaze in the wee hours of Monday as Anambrarians observed the sit-at-home exercise.

 

This paper gathered that the attack on the  properties at Ogidi, Idemili North  local Government Area Secretariat, EEDC office and magistrate court, all in the same place, were done at about 2am on Monday morning.

 

In Onitsha they killed a soldier at  the military check-point within  33 axis,  three persons at a drinking spot within GRA axis and one person at the junction of Modebe/Creek road, Fegge Onitsha.

 

It was gathered that at Ogidi, the council administrative block, the magistrate building and Ogidi Unit of EEDC were set ablaze by the unknown gunmen

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In his reaction, the member representing Onitsha North 2 in the state House of Assembly, Edward Ibuzor, (aka Liver to Deliver), exonerated Indigenous People of Biafran, IPOB, from the attack and called for all hands to be on desk in the war against insecurity.

 

His words, “IPOB has nothing to do with the attack, hoodlums have hijacked this course for freedom by IPOB”

 

“Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo as a man of peace was with IPOB leader in Abuja based on how to free Kanu and restore the lost glory of the Southeast zone”

 

*IPOB is fighting for our freedom, to give us what belongs to us, is it ESN that caused the Sokotc mayhem over the student that was killed. Why the attack on the Igbo property there. What concerns Igbo that amounted to the destruction of their properties.

 

In my constituency here I represent Hausas, yorubas and other ethnic groups and Igbos. As a law maker I protect them and always have meetings with them where we interact”

 

“Why can’t the lawmakers in Sokotc protect this Christian girl, and make the attackers know that we have law court if they feel offended as to their claim of blasphemy by the student” he queried.

 

He however stressed the need for synergy between the police and military for the security of this great country.

 

Meanwhile fear has gripped the residents of Onitsha and environs over the Monday attack that has sent scores into hiding for safety.

However, The Borno state Police commissioner, CP, Abdu Umar has said that the command has on Monday averted what would have been a devasting Improved Explosion Device at the Dalori 1 Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) at the outskirt of Maiduguri, the Borno stage capital.

Addressing newsmen  at a Press  briefing which held at the Police headquarters Maiduguri on Monday, the Borno state Police CP, Abdu Umar  confirmed that a suspected Improvised Explosive Device, IED was found at the Dalori IDP camp, in the early hours of the Monday.

The Police commissioner said on

receipt of the threat,the Police Explosives Ordinance Department, EOD team were deployed to the scene in the early hours of the day to survey the area and ultimately removed the IED planted to kill innocent people.

“The detonation from the general area has saved many lives because the IED which would have killed scores at Dalori IDP camp 1 Maiduguri was taken away.

We are happy they did the needful by ensuring that the synergy we have with them is working. If not for God who knows how many lives would have been destroyed today because the IED was a massive one powered by a solar means”, the CP explained.

 

While urging the IDPs to continue to maintain vigilance of their environment by reporting any suspicious movement or objects to the security agencies, CP Umar said “our business was to remove the threats and we have done so. The people should not relax at all they must remain vigilante at all times.

 

He also announced the ban on all religious protest in Maiduguri, the state capital, to forestall the escalation of the incident that occurred in.Sokoto and other parts of the country.