Gunmen attack checkpoint, kill police officer

A police operative was killed on Sunday morning in Imo State when gunmen attacked officers at a checkpoint in the state.

The attack, PREMIUM TIMES gathered, occurred at about 9 a.m. along the Okigwe-Umuahia Road in Okigwe Local Government Area of the South-eastern state.

Sources told this newspaper that another police operative, an assistant superintendent of police (ASP), was missing after the attack.

The slain operative has been identified simply as Oluebube, a police constable, while the missing officer has been identified as Casmir.

PREMIUM TIMES also learnt that the hoodlums equally carted away rifles from the police operatives during the attack.

Group claims responsibility

A secessionist group, which identified itself as the Biafra Liberation Army, has claimed responsibility for the attack and killing.

In an X post on Sunday evening, a man, believed to be a member of the secessionist group, was heard confirming that the group had attacked the operatives at the checkpoint.

The unidentified man appeared to be sending a “situation report” to their unnamed leader, whom he identified as the “major-general of Biafra Liberation Army.”

He uploaded on the X handle a video clip showing two rifles, which he said were carted away from the attacked operatives.

Biafra Liberation Army is a militant wing of Autopilot IPOB, set up by a controversial Biafra agitator, Simon Ekpa, who is now facing terrorism trial in Finland, a Nordic country in Northern Europe.

Police speak

When PREMIUM TIMES, on Monday morning, contacted the police spokesperson in Imo State, Henry Okoye, he confirmed the attack and killing of the operative.

Mr Okoye, a deputy superintendent of police, said the attackers were members of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its military wing, Eastern Security Network (ESN).

“An intense operation is ongoing to fish out the miscreants suspected to be members of IPOB and ESN,” he told this newspaper.

Referring to the video clip, the police spokesperson said the secessionist group has already claimed responsibility for the attack.

“One thing I can assure you is that whenever a police officer is killed, the individuals responsible must face the wrath of the law; we must get them. It’s just a matter of time,” he vowed.

Mr Okoye told this newspaper that the missing ASP had not been found as of 9:30 a.m. on Monday.

He could not confirm whether the hoodlums abducted the ASP or not.

Increased attacks

Like other states in Nigeria’s South-east, security has deteriorated in Imo State with frequent attacks by armed persons.

The attacks often target security agencies, government officials and facilities.

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Hundreds of persons, including security operatives, have been killed or abducted, and several others injured in the many attacks in the region.

The Nigerian government has accused IPOB of being responsible for the attacks in the region.

However, the group has repeatedly denied its involvement in the attacks.

IPOB is a group leading agitation for an independent state of Biafra, which it wants to be carved out from the South-east and some parts of the South-south of Nigeria.