- No casualties were reported
Unidentified gunmen attacked the Ogbaru Local Government Secretariat in Anambra State.
The assailants, who stormed the council secretariat in large numbers early on Saturday, set at least four patrol vehicles on fire.
No casualties were reported, but sources indicated that the gunmen fired indiscriminately into the air, causing panic among nearby residents. The attack has heightened security concerns in Ogbaru, especially following an incident a few days earlier where two soldiers escorting oil workers were ambushed and killed.
The source said, “The activities of these hoodlums have sent panic in the area, just a few days ago, an Army truck with five officers conveying production workers from Ogwu-Ikpere to Umunzarabia location, were ambushed at Amaja axis (Ogwu-Ikpere) by yet-to-be-identified gunmen. Two officers were shot dead, while one was injured.”
The state Anambra State police spokesman, Tochukwu Ikenga, who confirmed the development, said the attack destroyed four patrol vehicles belonging to the state vigilantes.
Ikenga said, “The Commissioner of Police, Anambra State Police Command, CP Nnaghe Obono Itam, has condemned the morning attack at the Ogbaru Local Government Area Headquarters Secretariat by armed arsonists.
“The attack, which destroyed four patrol vehicles belonging to the vigilantes, has been described as an act of cowardice. Notably, there were no casualties.
“Preliminary information indicated that the assailants, arriving in large numbers on motorcycles and a vehicle, began shooting indiscriminately.
“However, they faced strong resistance from the vigilante operatives until the police response team arrived. Due to the superior firepower of the security operatives, the gunmen fled the scene.