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The Ruler of Oba community in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State, Prince Noel Ezenwa (Ichie Ezeama) and residents have condemned in its entirety Tuesday’s attack on the Oba Police Divisional Headquarters and Oba Civic Centre.
Remember that some Armed men yet to be identifiedin large numbers, they attacked the Oba Police Division Headquarters and also the Oba Civic Centre, killing a police corporal and injuring others.
During the attack, several vehicles in the premises of the police station and offices were set on fire.
The motive for the attack has not yet been ascertained, but the state police command spokesman, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said the attack was carried out by a secessionist group.
Ikenga said: “The hoodlums fired sporadically and threw Molotov cocktails, causing fires in some offices of the police station and the Oba civic centre.
“The alleged secessionist armed group began shooting sporadically in an attempt to enter the police station and threw Molotov cocktails at the security facility, causing some offices, including the Oba Civic Centre, to be set on fire.
“Unfortunately, a fatally wounded police corporal paid the ultimate price, while the fire was put out with the help of other police officers on duty and the Joint Security Response Team.”
In a press statement issued on Friday, the community regent, Noel Ezenwa, called on residents to remain calm and refrain from making baseless insinuations, saying the Oba leadership and security agencies were working tirelessly to track down the culprits.
Ezenwa also expressed his condolences to the family of the slain police officer, who lost his life during the cowardly attack on the community property.
He said: “My attention has been drawn to the terrible and unfortunate incident that took place in our beloved hometown in the early hours of Tuesday, September 3, 2024, when the Oba Police Station and Civic Centre were set ablaze.
“My heart goes out to the family of the active duty police officer protecting our hometown, the only victim of the attack.
“While we have heard of attacks on patrolling security personnel, government facilities and property by unknown assailants, the attack on people’s property through self-help efforts is a new dimension of such attacks. This incident is totally condemnable, heinous and abhorrent.
“Be that as it may, I urge everyone who makes statements that discredit members of our community to remain calm while the leadership and security agencies do everything possible to uncover the cause of the fire and the people responsible, in order to prevent a future occurrence.
“I would like to personally thank all those who worked to stop the raging fire by calling on several water tanker operators who worked tirelessly to put out the flames.
“We will take stock of our losses and damages to update our staff and also reassess our security infrastructure.
“We have no other hometown to call our own and we must all work together as one to ensure the safety of lives and property in our hometown. God is always on our side and we will rise up from these challenges.”
Other residents of the community, who went to the burned police station to take a look, were shocked to see that the building, including vehicles, motorcycles and tricycles, had been completely razed to the ground by the attackers.
One of the residents, Chidalu Ike, who spoke to our correspondent, lamented the security situation in Oba, praying for God’s intervention.
Ike said: “My people, this is a great tragedy. They burned all the vehicles in the premises of our police station. Even a police officer was shot dead. Every office, including that of the DPO and the detention rooms that house suspects, were razed to the ground.
“It has become a case of day one trouble. We are praying to God to come and save us in Oba. I don’t know whether we should flee our homes or not.
“Look at the police station, everything was burned, nothing is left. Even the suspects inside the cell, they can’t be found again, we don’t know if they escaped or if they were burned.
“There is no one in the cell, we do not know who committed this vile act; we do not know where to begin. The police station is finished.”
