Anambra: Police kill 5 gunmen championing ‘no-election in South-East’

Anambra State Police on Sunday killed five gunmen believed to be gang members championing no-election in the South-East.

The gang, said to be working for a breakaway member of the Indigenous People of Biafra( IPOB), Simon Ekpa, now residing in the Finland, had in a similar-fact method bombed the Area Command of the Ogidi Police Station in the Idemili Local Government Area of the state some days back and other facilities in the state including INEC office in Ihiala.

Nigerian Tribune gathered that the mission of the hoodlums was to create fear in the South-East to cause voter apathy in the geopolitical zone to favour a certain paymaster.

Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as a consequence, had summoned the Finnish Ambassador to Nigeria, Leena Pylvanainen, over threats by the Biafra agitator, Simon Ekpa, to stop the 2023 general elections in the south-East.

Ekpa had repeatedly declared sit-at-home orders across the South-East, insisting that there would be no election in the region in 2023.

The IPOB agitator recently declared a sit-at-home from 23 to 28 February in the geopolitical zone apparently to stop the conduct of the 2023 general elections in the region.The presidential election is slated to be held on 25 February.

Speaking to Nigerian Tribune on the foiled attack on the Police Divisional Headquarters, Nkwelle-Ezunaka, Oyi local government area of the state, on Sunday, a resident around 3-3 area said, “There was heavy shooting around 5am and the hoodlums were shouting no election in Biafraland.

“When I came out around 7am I saw about five dead bodies said to be corpses of the unknown gunmen killed by the police during the gun duel. A bank opposite the police station was shattered with bullets. Some shops around there were also torched. I believe more people died in the incident. It was heavy shooting.

The state Police Public Relations Officer( PPRO),DSP Tochukwu Ikéngà, who confirmed the incident, said “The combined security team, made up of the police and the military, today( Sunday) 19/2/2023 by 5:58 am, neutralized a gang of five armed men, recoverd two Ak47 rifles, one Toyota Sienna vehicle with Reg No Abuja ABC 848 EQ, charms and other incriminating items, in a response to a distress call on an attack at 3 3 Police Divisional Headquarters, Nkwelle-Ezunaka, Oyi LGA.”

Ikenga, added that the notorious gang who were armed with guns, IEDs, and petrol bombs, started shooting indiscriminately to gain entrance to the station but were engaged and resisted by gallant officers attached to the station.

He said, “During the gun duel, unfortunately, one police operative attached to the station was fatally wounded and an office in the facility was partially affected by the petrol bomb the armed men threw inside the station. Also, one patrol vehicle parked in front of the station was set ablaze by the gunmen.

“The situation is under control and the incident is still being assessed. Meanwhile, Joint operations are still ongoing and further development shall be communicated.”