Police foil terrorist attack in Imo, kill one suspect

The Imo State Police Command reported a significant operational success in the fight against crime in the state on Tuesday.

According to a release signed by the command’s spokesperson, Henry Okoye, “Yesterday, operatives from the command’s Counter-Terrorism Unit repelled an attack by suspected IPOB/ESN terrorists during a routine patrol along the Owerri/Aba Road, near Owerri Airport.

The attackers, numbering about ten and travelling in two vehicles, launched a violent assault but were effectively countered by the unit, demonstrating notable bravery. In the ensuing gun battle, one suspect was neutralised, while the others fled with gunshot injuries, abandoning their operational vehicle, an ash-coloured Mercedes Jeep with Lagos State registration number AAA 101 GR.”

The statement confirmed that no casualties or injuries were recorded among the operatives. Following the incident, officers recovered an AK-47 rifle, 15 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition, an IPOB/ESN flag, and the abandoned vehicle. A thorough search of nearby bushes is ongoing to locate the remaining suspects.

The state Commissioner of Police, Aboki Danjuma, urged the public, especially medical practitioners, to report any individuals seen with or seeking treatment for gunshot injuries to the nearest police station.

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“The command remains committed to ensuring the safety of all citizens and will continue to address any threats to public peace in the state,” the statement added.

Separately, a 17-year-old female student of Imo State University, Owerri, Jesse Chidebere, was arrested by the Orji Police Divisional Headquarters on Monday for faking her abduction and death, which reportedly caused “significant distress to her family and the university community,” according to the command’s spokesperson.