By EYITOPE KUTEYI

An 18-year-old suspect and seven others have been arrested for allegedly attacking the Agwa Divisional Police Headquarters in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State.

Gunmen had on Saturday stormed the facility, killing no fewer than four police officers. They also burnt down parts of the police station.

But two days after the incident, the Imo State Police Command identified the teenage suspect as Obioma Chibuike from the Agwa community.

The other suspects whose ages range from 19 to 52 years are Achazie Chidiebere, Onyedikachi Nwadike, Anayo Onyemere, Ifeanyi Mboyi, Chukwudi Onyeausi, Obodo Promise and Ifeobu Ebubechi.

In a statement, Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mike Abattam, said 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.

According to him, the hoodlums engaged police operatives in a gun duel and due to the superior firepower of the operatives, some of the suspects escaped while eight of the hoodlums were arrested.

“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,” the statement read.

“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.”

Some of the items recovered 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 police spokesman appealed to 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. (Channels TV, except headline)

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