Imo Attack: Don’t Hesitate To Defend Yourselves Using Firearms — IGP Tells Officers

The Inspector-General of Police Mohammed Adamu has asked
officers of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) not to hesitate in
defending themselves by using firearms.

IGP Adamu stated this on Tuesday when he visited Imo state for
an on-the-spot assessment after the attack on the command
headquarters by gunmen on Monday.

The gunmen also attacked the Nigerian Correctional Services
freeing an unspecified number of prison inmates.

Recall that the attack occurred in the early hours of Monday
after which the hoodlums set the facilities ablaze.

During the attack, one person suspected to be a fleeing inmate
was hit by a bullet while carrying his travel bag.

The IGP while briefing men and officers of the command after his
tour on the facility appeals to members of the public to provide
security operatives with any useful information about the
whereabouts of the fleeing inmates.

He also charges men and officers of the command not to hesitate
to use their firearms to defend themselves from any attack by
members of IPOB and ESN.

In a series of tweets earlier on Monday, the IGP condemned the
attack and blamed it on members of IPOB and ESN.

He said that “preliminary investigations have revealed that the
attackers, who came in their numbers with sophisticated weapons
such as General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMGs), Sub-Machine Guns
(SMGs), AK49 rifles, Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPGs), Improvised
Explosive Devices (IEDs), are members of the proscribed Indigenous
People of Biafra (IPOB)/Eastern Security Network (ESN).

“The attempt by the attackers to gain access to the Police
armoury at the Headquarters was totally and appropriately resisted
by Police operatives on duty who repelled the attackers and
prevented them from breaking in and looting the armoury. The
armoury is thus intact! Similarly, the police suffered no human
casualty, apart from a Police Constable who sustained a minor
bullet wound on his shoulder”.

The IGP ordered the immediate deployment of additional units of
Police Mobile Force (PMF) and other Police Tactical Squads to Imo
State to strengthen security in the State and prevent further
attacks on security formations or any other critical national
infrastructure in the State.

He noted that one of the operational vehicles of the attackers
have been recovered by the Police and is currently being subjected
to forensic scrutiny and investigations.

The IGP however directed the Commissioner of Police, Imo State
Command and a new Special Investigation Team (specifically set up
to deal with cases of incessant attacks on security
formation/operatives in the region), to carry out holistic
investigations into the incident with a view to fishing out the
perpetrators and bringing them to justice.

The Inspector-General of Police Mohammed Adamu has asked
officers of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) not to hesitate in
defending themselves by using firearms.

IGP Adamu stated this on Tuesday when he visited Imo state for
an on-the-spot assessment after the attack on the command
headquarters by gunmen on Monday.

The gunmen also attacked the Nigerian Correctional Services
freeing an unspecified number of prison inmates.

Recall that the attack occurred in the early hours of Monday
after which the hoodlums set the facilities ablaze.

During the attack, one person suspected to be a fleeing inmate
was hit by a bullet while carrying his travel bag.

The IGP while briefing men and officers of the command after his
tour on the facility appeals to members of the public to provide
security operatives with any useful information about the
whereabouts of the fleeing inmates.

He also charges men and officers of the command not to hesitate
to use their firearms to defend themselves from any attack by
members of IPOB and ESN.

In a series of tweets earlier on Monday, the IGP condemned the
attack and blamed it on members of IPOB and ESN.

He said that “preliminary investigations have revealed that the
attackers, who came in their numbers with sophisticated weapons
such as General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMGs), Sub-Machine Guns
(SMGs), AK49 rifles, Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPGs), Improvised
Explosive Devices (IEDs), are members of the proscribed Indigenous
People of Biafra (IPOB)/Eastern Security Network (ESN).

“The attempt by the attackers to gain access to the Police
armoury at the Headquarters was totally and appropriately resisted
by Police operatives on duty who repelled the attackers and
prevented them from breaking in and looting the armoury. The
armoury is thus intact! Similarly, the police suffered no human
casualty, apart from a Police Constable who sustained a minor
bullet wound on his shoulder”.

The IGP ordered the immediate deployment of additional units of
Police Mobile Force (PMF) and other Police Tactical Squads to Imo
State to strengthen security in the State and prevent further
attacks on security formations or any other critical national
infrastructure in the State.

He noted that one of the operational vehicles of the attackers
have been recovered by the Police and is currently being subjected
to forensic scrutiny and investigations.

The IGP however directed the Commissioner of Police, Imo State
Command and a new Special Investigation Team (specifically set up
to deal with cases of incessant attacks on security
formation/operatives in the region), to carry out holistic
investigations into the incident with a view to fishing out the
perpetrators and bringing them to justice.