Nigeria: Gunmen Attack Police Station in Anambra State, Leaving One Officer Dead

A wave of violence has swept through Anambra State, Nigeria, as gunmen have launched a third attack on a police station in recent weeks. The latest attack, which occurred on Tuesday morning, resulted in the death of a police corporal and widespread damage to the station.

The attackers, suspected to be separatist elements, used a petrol bomb to set the police station ablaze in Oba, Idemili North Local Government Area. The police corporal, whose identity was not disclosed, was killed after being fatally wounded in the attack.

Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the attack and vowed to bring those responsible to justice. "The suspected armed secessionist group started shooting sporadically in an attempt to gain entrance to the police station and threw petrol bombs at the security facility," Ikenga said. "Unfortunately, a police corporal who was fatally wounded paid the supreme price, while the fire was put off with the help of other police officers on duty and the joint security responding team."

Ikenga added that the police-led joint security forces, comprising the Army, Navy, Civil defence, and other security agencies, have commenced operations to quell the violence in the area. The Commissioner of Police, CP Nnaghe Obono Itam, described the attack as an invasion of security facilities and hostility towards security agents, and as an attack on the soul of a nation.

The incident is the third recent attack on police stations in Anambra State, following earlier incidents in Nnewi and Nnobi in August. The violence has left many wondering about the future of security in the region.