The Imo Police Command has accused members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB of the attacks on ADDAA Flow station, Izombe in Oguta LGA of Imo State.
It has also confirmed that a lifeless body of a young man suspected to be a member of the proscribed group (IPOB) was seen with his two hands cut off when the Command’s Tactical Teams and the Explosives Ordinance Disposal Unit (EOD-CBRN), were dispatched to the scene at the oil facility.
Confirming the report on Thursday, in a release made available to newsmen in Owerri, the Imo Police spokesman, Michael Abattam said sequel to a report received on 4/5/2022 at about 0645 hours, from the Chief Security Officer (CSO on the same day at about 01:45 hours, they heard a loud explosion outside the company premises, making them suspect an attack on the company’s facilities.
The release reads,” On close observation, it was discovered that, while in possession of the Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in the company of others ferrying it to where they were to use it, the bomb suddenly detonated and exploded resulting in the death of the young man where others were suspected to be fatally injured due to the volume of bloodstains and trails seen all around the scene of the blast.
“The Bomb Unit took charge of the scene, sweeping carefully the area and beyond, in the process three more Improvised Explosives Devices were recovered. One has been detonated while the other two, specifically constructed with GSM phones attached to them and will only explode when the configured numbers are dialled, were still intact. On the conclusion of the sweeping exercise, the scene was declared safe from any explosive devices. It was then the police operatives carried out a diligent search where a big iron cutter and an Itel handset were recovered at the station.
“On the spot assessment of the scene of the incident, it was discovered that the distance between the oil tanks/pipelines and where the explosion occurred is about five meters hence, it is suspected that the target of the hoodlums might have been to attack and destroy the company’s facilities before they met their waterloo. ”
Consequently, the Commissioner of Police has directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department to commence a full-scale investigation on the incident while security in the area has been beefed up and the command is working assiduously in synergy with other security agencies to ensure the protection of lives and property in the State.
The Commissioner of Police, Imo Command, CP Mohammed Ahmed Barde, while appreciating Imolites for their unalloyed support to the Command, appealed for calm.
He enjoined them, to continue giving security agencies, especially the police, credible and timely information and to report any suspicious person seen with serious bodily injury or with bullet wounds in their neighbourhood to the nearest police station.
