Arsonists raze police facility in Anambra

Some arsonists have razed the Police Divisional Headquarters in Umuchu, a community in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State, south-east Nigeria.

PREMIUM TIMES learnt that the gunmen stormed the facility at about 3.a.m. on Sunday and set it ablaze.

Sources told this newspaper that the facility was renovated by members of Umuchu Improvement Union after it was destroyed by some angry youth during the #EndSARS protest in 2020.

The youth were protesting police brutality and harassment across the country.

“Nobody was killed when they (gunmen) attacked, because all the police officers have left the place because of the renovation works in the station,” Sam Ejiofor, a resident of the community, told PREMIUM TIMES.

The President-General of the Umuchu Improvement Union, Charles Ezeabasili, described the attack as “disheartening and unfortunate.”

Mr Ezeabasili told reporters that it was improper that while the union had completed the upgrade of the facility and awaited the return of police personnel, the hoodlums attacked and set it ablaze despite being set up for the good of the community.

“How do we make progress?” he said.

The police spokesperson in the state, Tochukwu Ikenga, has confirmed the attack.

Mr Ikenga, a deputy superintendent of police, said the facility was still being renovated when it was attacked by the hoodlums.

“The situation is under control and calm has returned in the area,” he said.

The police spokesperson said the police have begun an investigation into the incident.

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He urged residents of the community to assist the police with information in the on-going investigation to track down the attackers.

Increased attacks

Like other states in Nigeria’s south-east, security has deteriorated in Anambra State with frequent attacks by armed persons.

The attacks often target security agencies, government officials and facilities.

Several police facilities, and security agencies have been attacked by gunmen, said to be part of Biafra agitation in the South-east. Many others have been abducted and killed by the attackers.

The Nigerian government has accused the outlawed Indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB) of being responsible for the deadly attacks in the region. But the group has repeatedly denied their involvement in the attacks.

IPOB is a group leading agitation for an independent state of Biafra which it wants carved out from the south-east and some parts of the south-south Nigeria.