Four cops sustained injuries in a Nigerian state gun battle - CP

The Imo State Commissioner of Police, Abutu Yaro, on Friday, said that no security operative lost his life when combined security men engaged hoodlums in a gun duel in Orlu on Thursday night.

He said that only four operatives sustained minor injuries during the shooting spree that lasted for several hours.

At a press briefing at the Police Command Headquarters in Owerri, the CP confirmed that nine hoodlums succumbed to the superior fire power of the security operatives.

Yaro disclosed that the suspected criminals were successfully resisted from razing the Orlu Divisional Police Headquarters and Orlu zonal area command headquarters, respectively.

He said that under his watch, criminals would not be allowed to have a field day.

Yaro said, “On May 5, a group of Bandits attempted to attack the Divisional Police Station and Area Command Headquarters both in Orlu LGA but were successfully repelled. However, the operatives IGP Response Team in conjunction with the special forces and other tactical teams of the Command engaged them in a shootout, and in a bid to retreat and escape they met the reinforcement teams from the Military and DSS, they were then engaged from on both fronts."

“After the gun duel, nine of the insurgents lost their lives while others fled with bullet wounds abandoning their operational vehicles in the process.

“However, four of our operatives sustained various degree of injuries and are presently responding to treatment.

“The hoodlums were seen in a viral video around Orlu Metropolis stealing and forcefully collecting items from people, and also causing public disorder and brandishing assorted types of rifles with brazen bravado."

“They are reasonably believed to be part of the hoodlums that attacked the Police Headquarters and the Correctional Service on the 5th of April 2021.”

The CP disclosed that Four AK 47 Rifles, One Pump Action, two Toyota Siena, One Toyota Camry, One Toyota Hilux, One SUV Highlander, One SUV Land Rover, One Nissan Pick up, and assorted Charms were recovered as exhibits from the slain hoodlums.