By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

The Nigeria Police Zone 13 headquarters in Ukpo, Anambra State, on Monday evening broke its silence on the early morning invasion of the facility by unknown gunmen.

It disclosed that two police operatives sustained gunshot injuries while repelling the attack and that one of the suspects was shot dead.

Confirming the attack in a statement, the Public Relations Officer of Zone 13, Nkiru Nwode, said the injured officers are presently receiving treatment.

She said the attackers came in their numbers, shooting sporadically in order to gain access to the facility but were repelled by Police personnel on duty.

According to her, the inability of the attackers to access the facility led to them throwing petrol bombs and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) on vehicles within the periphery of the headquarters.

Nwode said that one of the suspects was neutralized during the exchange of gunfire with the Police, adding that many of the suspects escaped with gunshots injuries.

The statement partly reads: “Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force attached to Zone-13 Headquarters, Ukpo, Anambra State have successfully repelled an attack on the Zonal Headquarters by criminal elements in the early hours of today, 19th April, 2021.

Following the inability of the attackers to access the facility, they threw petrol bombs and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) on vehicles within the periphery of the Headquarters.

“One of the criminal elements was neutralized during the exchange of gunfire between the Police and the attackers while many of the gang members escaped with gunshots injuries.”

The Zone 13 Spokesperson said that the Anambra State Commissioner of Police, Monday Kuryas, in partnership with other senior officers from the Zone and the State Command, is personally leading a special operation aimed at tracing and arresting the perpetrators to bring them to book.

Her words: “Commissioner of Police, Anambra State Police Command, CP Kuryas Monday, fsi, who is also standing in for the Zonal Assistant Inspector General of Police, has commended the Police operatives for putting up a strong resistance against the attackers.

He also called on proprietors of private and public (including unorthodox) medical facilities in and around Anambra state to admit, but report anyone found seeking medical attention for bullet wounds and related injuries to the nearest police station.

“The CP called on citizens in the State not to panic but to go about their lawful duties.

While assuring of the Command’s resolve to re-dominate, reclaim and secure all public spaces as directed by the Inspector General of Police, the CP called on members of the public to continue to support the Police with vital and timely information on the activities of criminals and other subversive elements within their respective communities.”

Nwode reeled items recovered from the suspects to include one L7A2 General-Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG), Ninety-two rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition, one locally-made smoke pistol and an axe.

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