Police arrest 18-year-old, 7 others over Saturday’s attack in Imo

The Imo State Police Command on Monday revealed the arrest of an 18-year-old boy, including seven other suspects over the attack on the Agwa Divisional Police Headquarters in Oguta Local Government Area, Imo State.

The Command disclosing the arrest of Obioma Chibuike, an indigene of Agwa community, and other suspects identified as Achazie Chidiebere, Onyedikachi Nwadike, Anayo Onyemere, Ifeanyi Mboyi, Chukwudi Onyeausi, Obodo Promise and Ifeobu Ebubechi, indicated they are within the age range of 19 to 52 years.

The Police Public Relations Officer of the Imo State Command, Mike Abattam, in a statement, narrated that the Command’s tactical teams acting on credible intelligence, raided some identified criminal hideouts located between Agwa and Izombe communities in Oguta Local Government Area.

The PPRO said that the hoodlums engaged police operatives in a gun duel, noting that due to the superior firepower of the operatives, some of the suspects escaped while eight of the hoodlums were arrested.

The PPRO narrated: “The Command’s tactical teams, on the 06/8/2022 at about 0300hrs, after a diligent gathering of credible intelligence, raided some identified criminal hideouts located between Agwa and Izombe communities in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State, where the hoodlums, on sighting police operatives engaged them in a gun duel, in an attempt to escape arrest; but were overwhelmed by the superior firepower of the operatives.

“While some suspects escaped, eight persons were arrested, they include the following: – Obioma Chibuike ‘m’ age 18 years, Achazie Chidiebere ‘m’ age 22 years, Onyedikachi Nwadike ‘m’ aged 19 years, Anayo Onyemere ‘m’ aged 51 years, Ifeanyi Mboyi ‘m’ aged 26 years, Chukwudi Onyeausi ‘m’ aged 29 years,  Obodo Promise ‘m’ aged 17 years,  Ifeobu Ebubechi ‘m’ aged 22 years.”

The police disclosed that items recovered from the suspects include one pump action gun, two locally made guns, six cutlasses, one Biafran flag, eight live cartridges, eight expended cartridges and one masquerade apparel.

The PPRO urged indigenes of the state to make policing a collective responsibility and also join hands with the Command and other security agencies in the fight against criminalities by reporting any suspicious activities around their neighbourhoods to the nearest police station.

Some gunmen last Saturday invaded a police station, burnt part of the facilities, killing over four police officers. The police were, however, on the trail of the perpetrators till the suspects were arrested.