Gunmen attack Anambra local govt headquarters, set 4 patrol vans ablaze

Four patrol vehicles belonging to a local security group were set on fire by unknown gunmen who launched an attack on Ogbaru Local Government Secretariat in Anambra on early hours of Saturday.

The perpetrators arrived at the council headquarters in large numbers, using motorcycles and a vehicle, and opened fire indiscriminately, according to reports from the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

An attempt by local vigilantes to fend off the attackers was bolstered by a swift response from a team of crack police operatives.

Anambra Police Command spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident to NAN in Onitsha. He noted that the gunmen fled when they were overpowered by the combined forces of the vigilantes and police.

Ikenga detailed that the assailants “faced strong resistance from the vigilante operatives until the police response team arrived. Due to the superior firepower of the security operatives, the gunmen fled the scene.”

Despite the successful defense, the attackers managed to destroy four patrol vehicles belonging to the vigilance group before escaping.

The Anambra Police Commissioner, Mr. Nnaghe Itam, condemned the attack and the destruction of the patrol vehicles, praising the security operatives for their efforts in repelling the attackers and labeling the incident as an “act of cowardice.”

Ikenga also mentioned that a joint security task force, including the Army, Navy, and other security agencies, has been deployed to the area to apprehend those responsible for the attack. He reassured residents that no lives were lost and that security measures are being intensified to ensure the safety of lives and property in the area.