DEFENCE
Hoodlums Raze Bende Police Station in Abia, Free Detainees – Police
Dare-devil gunmen, numbering at least 100, have attacked Bende Divisional Police Station in Abia, leaving two operatives with gunshot wounds.
Eyewitness account said the hoodlums set the station on fire at about 11pm on Wednesday.
“We heard a cacophony of gunshots around 10.
“At that point, it dawned on us that the station was under attack so everybody began to scamper for safety,” the eyewitness said on the condition of anonymity.
The Spokesman of the state command, SP Godfrey Ogbonna, confirmed the attack in Umuahia on Thursday.
Ogbonna said the operatives were shot in the leg and that the attackers also burnt down the generator house and a multi-purpose building, belonging to Bende Local Government.
He said the hoodlums later released criminal suspects, who were detained at the station.
“They also burnt two vehicles, including the Divisional Police Officer’s Highlander Jeep, and three motorcycles, parked at the station,” he said.
Ogbonna said that it was not clear how the bandits arrived at the place in their numbers.
“We do not know yet how they all gathered to execute the attack at the station.
“May be they parked their vehicles away from their target and walked through footpaths to the place,” he said.
He said the command had embarked on full investigations into the incident and other recent gunmen attacks in different parts of the state.
NAN reports that the police station is located at the main entrance to Bende council headquarters.
The attack happened barely six hours after Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu left the council premises, venue of the reception of a former legislator, Nnenna Ukeje, back to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Ukeje dumped PDP for the All Progressives Congress in 2019 after losing the party’s ticket to return to the House of Representatives for the fourth tenure.
NAN reports that gunmen recently embarked on serial attacks on government facilitites in Abia, including police formations and office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The violent attacks have left many operatives dead with many others sustaining gunshot wounds. (NAN)
The Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna has urged residents of Mando, Tsamiya, Kauya and Afaka general areas not to panic over its scheduled shooting exercise.This
This is contained in a statement issued by the NDA Public Relations Officer, Maj. Mohammed Maidawa, on Wednesday in Kaduna.
Maidawa, said the exercise is for the Army cadets of 73 and 74 Regular Courses.
The exercises, he said, are scheduled to hold from April 18 to April 20 abd from April 26 to April 27.
“The NDA assures the general public that all necessary safety measures have been put in place for the successful conduct of the exercise.
“However, the general public is advised to avoid trespassing in the general area throughout the period of the exercise,” the army said.
.(NAN)
The Police Command in Enugu State has arrested an Enugu resident, one Mmaduabuchi Okonkwo, 24, suspected to be in possession of, and transacting in, fake Naira notes.
A statement by the Command’s spokesman, Daniel Ndukwe, said that operatives serving in Abakaliki Road Police Division, with the support of law-abiding citizens, arrested Okonkwo of Mkpologu, Emene, Enugu, at the Old IMT Bus Stop, Abakaliki Road, Enugu, on April 10.
According to him, the suspect’s arrest is sequel to his alleged possession, and transacting in, counterfeited Naira notes.
“A total of ₦40,000 suspected counterfeited one thousand denominated Naira notes were recovered from him.
“A preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect boarded a minibus from New Haven Junction to Old IMT Bus Stop, Enugu, and gave the driver one of the counterfeited notes.
“The driver, however, scrutinised and observed that the currency was fake, and quickly raised an alarm that led to the suspect’s arrest.
“Upon interrogation, the suspect confessed to having paid the sum of ₦25,000 genuine Naira notes to his cohort at large for the counterfeited Naira notes worth ₦50,000,” he said.
Ndukwe said that he further confessed to having spent ₦10,000 out of the fake notes, with the remaining ₦40,000 recovered from him.
“The suspect will be arraigned and prosecuted once investigations are concluded,” he said. (NAN)
Umar Mohammed, the Kwara Commandant of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), on Tuesday in Ibadan called for an increase in vigilance.
He said the appeal was necessary to confront the challenges of insecurity, violence and other social vices in various communities in the state.
The Commandant said the recent rise in security challenges in the state necessitated the upgrading of the police outpost to a fully operational divisional office.
p”This is in order to address insecurity more effectively.
“The establishment of the division will no doubt improve operational efficiency, thereby reducing possible threats to peaceful coexistence,” he said.
The Commandant applauded the people of Ipee community, most especially Mr Olayiwola Oyebode, Deputy Speaker of Kwara House of Assembly, for their unwavering commitment and support for the project.
He assured the community that their efforts would not go in vain.
”I promise utmost security and well-being, and the NSCDC will work tirelessly to address all your security challenges,” Mohammed said.
He urged members of the community to remain vigilant and actively support the Corps by providing credible and timely information that would enhance their operations.
“Security is a collective responsibility and everyone should play their part in keeping their community safe, by working together and sharing information promptly,” the Commandant said.
The Deputy Speaker of State House of Assembly, Mr Olayiwola Oyebode, thanked the Commandant for his cooperation and efforts in ensuring the protection of lives and properties in the community and the state in general.
He urged the Commandant to deploy additional personnel to the new division in order to increase the safety and security of the people in the community.
In his remark, the Onipe of Ipee, Oba Lawal Adebayo, expressed gratitude to the Corps for the steadfast dedication to ensuring safety in the community and urged for sustained efforts.
Oba Adebayo also thanked Gov. Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq for his continuous support in upholding peace and security within the state.(NAN)
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