Two police officers killed as hoodlums attack Abia station

Two police officers were killed when hoodlums attacked the Uratta Police Station in Aba, Abia State, in the early hours of Saturday.

The state Commissioner of Police, Wilfred Afolabi, also said three people, including two other police officers and a civilian, were injured and taken to the Abia State University Teaching Hospital, Aba.

Afolabi spoke while inspecting the damage at the station alongside Governor Alex Otti.

When asked how many officers had been killed, Afolabi replied, ‘Two people.’”

According to the commissioner, the attackers set some parts of the facility ablaze, while a Hilux van and other vehicles were burnt or damaged.

“I was there by 4 am and the most important thing is to get the culprit, and that is what we are doing,” Afolabi said.

He disclosed that no arrests had been made but assured residents that the police were working to apprehend those responsible.

“For now, we have not made any arrests, but we are working on that.

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“The assurance I can give is that wherever they are, whenever they enter the hole, we will bring them out,” he said.

A source familiar with the incident, who spoke anonymously because he was not authorised to speak on the matter, said the attackers appeared to be targeting the police armoury but found it empty. The source also alleged that the hoodlums took away some police uniforms.

The source further claimed that one of the attackers was shot dead but was carried away by his colleagues.

The attack reportedly occurred around 2 am on Saturday, with one of the slain officers said to have been burnt beyond recognition.

Otti later visited the injured victims at the Abia State University Teaching Hospital.

The Uratta Police Station was previously attacked on February 23, 2021, when gunmen killed a police sergeant identified as Okezie and set a police patrol vehicle donated by the state government ablaze.