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Two policemen were killed in Ebonyi State by hoodlums who launched attacks on various Police stations in the state in the wake of the #EndSars protests in the state.
Spokesperson of the Police in the state, Loveth Odah stated this on Thursday in Abakaliki, the State capital.
She blamed the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) for the attacks.
According to her four other Police officers were seriously injured in the attacks while the hoodlums also snatched two AK-47 riffles from the Police
‘Some unscrupulous youths suspected to be members of the proscribed Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) took to the street of our peaceful State Ebonyi with evil intentions in the guise of #ENDSARS.
‘The group went about, attacking, killing Policemen and burning/looting and destroying government/private properties in the State,’ she said.
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She gave the names of the two Police officers killed as PC Akpu Paul and Insp Egu Omini.
‘On Wednesday 21st October, 2020 the protest was hijacked by criminal minded miscreants suspected to be members of IPOB who invaded Central Police Station Abakaliki shooting sporadically at the Policemen.’
‘In the process two Policemen (PC Akpu Paul and PC Ali Samson) sustained bullet injuries and two days later one of the victim PC Paul Akpu died while on admission at Alex-Ekwueme Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki ( A-E FETHA),’ she narrated.
She said the the hoodlums proceeded to B Division KpriKpri/C Division Ekumenyi (Eke-Abe Police Station) and set the two Stations on fire, after looting exhibit motorcycles, Plasma TVs, Fans and other valuables from the exhibit rooms.
‘In the same vein, the criminals also made an attempted to break and release inmate from Abakaliki custodian center, but the joint force of the Police and other sister security agencies could not allow them access to the facility,’ she narrated.
Mrs Odah said the hoodlums resurfaced on 22nd of October, 2020 and set ablaze Ohaozara Divisional Headquarters and Okposi Police Station together with two patrol vehicles, three exhibit vehicles and the DPO’s car.
‘The hoodlums also critically injured Inspr. Egun Omini attached to Ohaozara Division who was rushed to hospital,’ she added.
She said the hoodlums also looted the two Police formations’ exhibit rooms and vandalized the newly built Okposi Divisional Headquarters which is yet to be commissioned.
According to the spokesman, a joint security force was immediately deployed to the scene of the crimes and strategic points within the State, to avert further damages and six suspects were arrested in connection with the case.
She gave their names as Ogodo Echezona, Nwanikwo Ogbonna, Ukoro Leonard, Elom Joseph Onwe ‘m’
Odo Sunday, and Ituma Abel. while others fled the scene.
She said the hoodlums regrouped again on Monday 26 and invaded the Central Police Station Abakaliki for the second time, set the station on fire together with Police patrol vehicles, exhibit vehicles, tricycles/motorcycles and other police property seen within the station.
They shot sporadically at the Policemen, and as a result gruesomely murdered Inspr Egu Omini, cut off his private part and snatched his AK-47 riffle.
‘As if that was not enough on Wednesday 28 at about 4am the hoodlums again stormed Ezza North Divisional Headquarters, vandalized the building, burnt two vehicles and Exhibit motorcycles,’ she said.
According to her, they shot and wounded Inspr. Okewu Sunday and snatched his AK-47 riffle adding that the victim is currently receiving treatment in the Hospital.
‘The Police in Ebonyi State wishes to use this medium to warn all criminal minded individuals or group who would wish to make an attempt to further attack or disrupt the peace of the State that it will no longer fold itd hand and watch the lives and properties of its men and other innocent citizens wasted,’ she said.
The spokesman said the Police has organized a joint patrol in active collaboration with other security agencies as part of strategies to prevent further attack and breakdown of law and order in the State.
‘The CP calls on the traditional rulers, Town Union and Youth Presidents, Community and religious leaders to join hands with the Police to foretell peace in their various communities and assist in fishing out the perpetrators of this heinous crime to regain the peaceful State of our dear Ebonyi State’, Mrs Odah concluded
However, the IPOB spokesman, Emma Powerful denied that his group was involved in the attacks.
‘I don’t know who those people are,’ he said when contacted for comment on the allegation.
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