From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
There was tension yesterday in Okpanam, Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State, where unknown gunmen allegedly attacked a police station, killing three officers.
Community sources said the hoodlums came in their numbers and overwhelmed operatives at the station.
Although police have since regained control of the station, an insider told Daily Sun that some officers, who were on duty at the time of the attack, but not wounded, were in hospital due to the shock from the attack. The insider only confirmed the number of officers killed, but could not confirm if there were others with injury.
When Daily Sun visited the police station, some armoured police vehicles were seen in front of the station, while there were bullet marks on the wall of the police station’s fence. Regardless, authorities at the state police command said the hoodlums did not attack the station.
However, the Public Relations Officer of the command, DSP Bright Edafe, who confirmed the killing of the officers by the hoodlums, said they were attacked while responding to a distressed call.
Edafe, in a recorded voice message to Daily Sun in Asaba, via WhatsApp, said one of the suspects has been arrested.
“Today (yesterday), at about 4.40 hours of the early morning, men of Okpanam Division, while responding to a distressed call, were ambushed by unknown armed hoodlums, and they killed three of our personnel.
“The command has been able to arrest one of the suspects who is helping us with useful information. I want to use this opportunity to call on members of the public with useful information to avail us with it.
“We are doing our best and, in no time, the remaining suspects would be arrested and brought to book,” he stated.