By Izunna Okafor, Awka
Fear and tension have gripped residents of Awgu town in Enugu State following a deadly attack on the Awgu Divisional Police Headquarters by yet-to-be-identified gunmen. The assailants stormed the station in the early hours of yesterday, killing a police officer and looting arms from the facility.
The victim, identified as Police Constable Akpa Emmanuel, was reportedly on duty when the attackers struck. Sources disclosed that the gunmen also vandalized parts of the station before carting away firearms, including an AK-47 rifle and two riot guns.
The brazen attack has triggered heightened security in the area, with heavy deployment of operatives, including undercover agents, to forestall further incidents.
Reports have it that the newly posted Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa, has swiftly mobilized reinforcements to the division. The Deputy Commissioner of Operations, alongside operatives from the Special Forces, Police Mobile Force (PMF), Counter-Terrorism Unit (CTU), and other tactical teams, have been deployed to restore normalcy and beef up security in the affected area.
This reporter, Izunna Okafor, gathered that the attack comes barely weeks after a new Divisional Police Officer (DPO) was posted to the Awgu Station, raising concerns about a possible coordinated assault on security formations in the state.
In what appears to be a related incident, another group of gunmen reportedly attempted an attack on the Inyi Divisional Police Headquarters in Oji River Local Government Area around 2:00 a.m. the same day. However, security personnel on duty successfully repelled the assailants, preventing any casualties or damage.
Meanwhile, efforts to obtain an official statement from the Police Public Relations Officer of the Enugu State Police Command, SP Daniel Ndukwe, have so far been unsuccessful, as he did not respond to calls or messages of seeking clarification on the attacks.
The latest onslaught further heightens concerns over the rising and declining waves of insecurity in parts of the South East.
