Gunmen on Sunday night destroyed Oguta high court located in the Oguta local government area of Imo State.
LEADERSHIP gathered that the attackers arrived in the premises at 11.41pm and blew up the facility located inside the local government headquarters.
A source told LEADERSHIP that the magistrate’s court registry, appeal court record office, file room, secretary to the high court judge’s office, office of the high court bailiff and the chamber of the high court judge were burnt in the process.
He said, “Magistrate court registry, appeal court record office, file room, secretary to the high court judge’s office and the office of the high court bailiff were burnt while the chamber of high court judge was partly razed. The whole block has cracked and no reasonable human being will ever come near the facility.”
The sole administrator of Oguta LGA, Hon. Ofili Ijioma, said the arson had been reported to the appropriate security agents.
He said investigation would unravel the circumstances surrounding the attack.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Henry Okoye, stressed that he is expecting details from the area command.
Meanwhile, the police in Anambra State have gunned down a member of the armed gang who attempted to burn down the Ogidi police station in Idemili-North local government area of the state.
The armed gang had stormed the police station at about 2am yesterday armed with a 25-litre Jerry-can of petrol apparently to set the station ablaze.
LEADERSHIP learnt that the hoodlums who were also carrying guns drove to the police station in unmarked Toyota Hiace bus, a Toyota Hilux and three motorcycles, but, were promptly stopped on their tracks before they could carry out their evil mission by a team of ever vigilant police operatives on duty at the station.
The public relations officer, PPRO, of the state police command, deputy superintendent of police, DSP, Mr Ikenga Tochukwu who confirmed the incident stated that though many of the hoodlums escaped, one of them was gunned down by the police operatives on duty at the station.
Tochukwu said in a statement: “Today 13/2/2023 by 2:15 am, police operatives foiled an attack by armed men on the Ogidi Police station, demobilize one of the armed men, and recovered many expended cartridges and 25 litres of PMS.
“They came in their numbers with an unmarked Toyota Hiace bus, a Toyota Hilux and three motorcycles, and started shooting indiscriminately and attempted to gain access into Ogidi Police Station, Idemili North. They were fiercely resisted by police officers on duty and due to the superior gunfire of the operatives, the hoodlums fled the scene while one of the armed men was neutralized by the operatives.”
The police image -maker stated that the hoodlums were unable to penetrate the police station, adding, that more tactical police operatives have been deployed to beef up security at the station.
This foiled planned attack on the Ogidi police station happened about three days after a gang of hoodlums killed three police aides of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, vice- presidential candidate and governor of Delta State, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa at Ihiala area of Anambra State as they were passing through the state to Abia State as the governor’s advance team to Aba where the governor was billed to attend PDP’s presidential campaign rally ahead of this month’s presidential election.
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