by Peregba Jerry
Abia State Police Command has confirmed that over 100 unidentified gunmen stormed and razed Bende Police Station in Bende Local Government Area of Abia State on Wednesday night.
This came barely 6 hours after Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu left Bende LGA headquarters after a civic reception of a three-time (12 years) immediate past House of Representatives member who represented Bende federal constituency, Hon. Nnenna Ukeje.
The attack followed the burning of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency office at Amaekpu.
The police station is situated at the outer gate of the LGA headquarters and about less than 10 metres from the LGA field where the occasion held.
The Police Public Relations Officer in Abia state, Ogbonna Geoffrey disclosed that two police operatives were shot on the leg, while the generator house and multi-purpose house of Bende Local Government headquarters were touched.
Sources who witnessed the incident that happened around 10.45pm disclosed that suspects who were detained at the station were freed by the gunmen, while the police spokesman revealed that two vehicles and three motorcycles, including a highlander vehicle belonging to DPO of Bende Police Station, were burnt down.
According to another source, a heavy presence of soldiers had arrived in the area to restore normalcy Thursday morning.
According to a nearby resident, “At about 10.45, we heard series of gunshots. When we rushed outside, we saw the station on fire”.
