Operatives of the Imo State Police Command successfully repelled an armed attack on the Njaba Divisional Headquarters on Sunday, allegedly carried out by hoodlums suspected to be affiliated with the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its militia, the Eastern Security Network (ESN).

According to a statement released by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Henry Okoye, the attackers arrived in three SUVs and unleashed sporadic gunfire on the police headquarters in a violent assault.

“In response, the ever-gallant operatives swiftly took up defensive positions and engaged the assailants, resulting in the neutralization of three attackers,” Okoye said. He added that several other assailants, who sustained gunshot injuries, fled into nearby bushes.

During the exchange, the police recovered a significant cache of weapons and vehicles, including a General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG), an AK-47 rifle, and three SUVs: a Toyota Lexus 470, a Mercedes GLK, and a Toyota Venza.

The Commissioner of Police for Imo State, Aboki Danjuma, is leading an “intense operation” to track down the fleeing attackers, Okoye noted. The police chief commended the bravery of the officers involved in the operation and reassured the public that the command remains resolute in its mission to ensure the safety and security of residents in the state.

Sunday’s confrontation is the latest in a series of violent incidents in Imo State. In early September, gunmen attacked the Isiala Mbano Local Government Area headquarters, killing two vigilante members and a police officer. The attackers also set fire to the Obowo Police Station and several vehicles parked on the premises.

The police in Imo State have vowed to intensify their efforts in combating criminal elements, particularly the ongoing threat posed by IPOB and other armed groups destabilizing the region.