From Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
A Joint Security Task Force (JTF) on Thursday night killed no fewer than eight gunmen attempting to raze the Orlu Divisional Police Headquarters in Imo State.
The operatives also recovered seven vehicles from the attackers, Saturday Sun gathered.
Our correspondent gathered that it was a heavy gun duel between the security operatives and the gunmen, as the shooting was said to have lasted for several hours, prompting the military to send for reinforcement.
A resident who witnessed the incident but pleaded anonymity said: “We slept with our hearts in our mouths last night.”
He stated that an Armoured Personnel Carrier was allegedly set ablaze at Umuna junction in Orlu town. He also informed that a stray bullet hit one of his cousins. The police spokesperson in the state, Orlando Ikeokwu, could not be reached at the time of this report but a senior police officer confirmed the development to our correspondent. The police source said the corpses of the hoodlums and their vehicles have been brought to the state Police Command Headquarters in Owerri. He said the police divisional headquarters was not razed neither was any security officer killed in the attack.
The source said: “Yes, we successfully repelled an attempt to raze Orlu Divisional Police Headquarters last night. The hoodlums came in multiple vehicles and sophisticated weapons and assault rifles. They were repelled and eight of them were gunned down, with seven vehicles belonging to them recovered. Their corpses and seven vehicles belonging to them had been conveyed to Imo State Police Command headquarters in Owerri. As I speak to you now, they are with us. You need to see their charms and other things hanging on their necks. “It was a big war. The gun battle lasted for hours but our men made up of the police, military and Air Force overpowered them. They were denied access into the police station premises. Successfully, eight were killed and seven vehicles recovered. Others fled,” the source said.