Gunmen attack Anambra broadcasting station, set vehicles ablaze, injure staff

• Policeman killed, riffle stolen in Anambra

Gunmen invaded the premises of Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS), Awada, Onitsha station, yesterday, and brutalised some staff members who were on night duty.

An eyewitness said the gunmen burnt a building, a company bus and another vehicle parked on the premises.

While noting that no life was lost in the attack, the eyewitness stressed that the gunmen, however, brutalised members of staff they met on the premises, inflicting different degrees of injury on them.

A source, who was at the scene of the incident, also confirmed the attack, adding that the staff members on duty were mercilessly flogged, while two vehicles were burnt.

The Public Relations Officer of the state Police Command, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, who confirmed the attack in a statement, said no life was lost.

The statement reads in part: “Following a distress call today, May 30, 2022, at about 4:30 am, of a case of arson in Anambra Broadcasting Station, Idemili North, the police operatives responded swiftly and prevented the hoodlums from causing damage on the structure.

“Unfortunately, two operational vehicles belonging to the station were affected.”

Meanwhile, he said that the station has been cordoned off and operation is still ongoing in the area.

IN another development, gunmen, on Sunday, killed an unidentified policeman at Ogidi, Idemili North Council of the state, and removed his rifle.

A source said the gunmen stationed themselves close to Ogidi Town Hall, where some policemen usually man a checkpoint.

He said they waited there for a long time until they saw one of the policemen and shot him dead.

“They dispossessed him of his AK 47 riffle, before they fled,” the source said.

Ikenga confirmed the incident but denied the death of any policeman.

He said that there was a gun duel between policemen and some hoodlums, which led to a fatal wound on one of the policemen.

He said: “Information before me states that on May 29, 2022, at about 12:50 pm, police operatives, on observation patrol along Abatete expressway, Ogidi, engaged some armed hoodlums.

“Unfortunately, during the gun duel, one of the police operatives was fatally wounded and due to the superior fire of the police, the gunmen were made to flee the scene.”