Nigeria's security challenges has recently included a new front. The trend has seen no fewer than 21 police stations attacked, resulting in the death of at least 18 police personnel between January and April 2021 across the South eastern part of Nigeria.
The criminal attacks focused mainly on killing of policemen, burning of Police Stations and patrol vans, looting of weapons from armouries and facilitation of jail breaks.
Imo State tops the list of attacked stations in with 7 attacks while Anambra closely follows with 5 attacks. Ebonyi and Abia states have witnessed 3 attacks each while Enugu has seen just one attack as at the time of compiling this timeline.
Timeline of attacks on policemen, stations between January – April 2021
January 2021: 3 policemen killed, 1 station attacked.
January 8
Gunmen attacked Onueke Police Station in Ezza South Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, killing three police officers. The attack which happened on Friday night, the 8th of January 2021, led to the death of two male inspectors and a policewoman.
February 2021: 9 policemen killed, 6 stations attacked.
February 1
Barely a month after the attack at Onueke Police Station, Some hoodlums attacked Umuoba Police Station in Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Area of Abia on Monday, February 1, 2021 and killed a police Inspector. They also injured a policewoman. Confirming the attack, Police Public Relations Officer Geoffrey Ogbonna said the hoodlums looted the station's amoury before setting the building and some operational vehicles on fire.
February 5
It wasn't long before Gunmen attacked Obowo Divisional Police Headquarters, located at Umulowe autonomous community area of Imo State. The attack which happened on the night of Friday, the 5th of February, saw two policemen killed on duty while three others who resisted them from gaining access into the headquarters sustained varying degree of injury.
February 23
Suspected hoodlums again attacked a police station at Abayi Osisioma Local Government Area, near Aba in Abia State on Tuesday, the 23rd of February 2021. Abia State police command confirmed that the attackers killed two police personnel on duty before setting the station and an unspecified number of vehicles ablaze. The victims were Vincent Gonze, an assistant superintendent of police, and Emmanuel Okoronkwo, a sergeant.
February 24
Unknown gunmen attacked two police stations in Anambra State, killing four policemen. Sources said the gunmen who operated in a salon car and a black Mercedes Benz 4matic, drove into the stations, pumping bullets into the air and also setting vehicles belonging to the Nigeria Police Force on fire.
Both attacks happened on Wednesday, the 24th of February 2021 at Nkpologu community in Aguata Local Government Area and Omogho in Orumba North Local Government Area. The state police command confirmed that while two policemen were killed in Nkpologu, two were also killed in the Omogho attack.
February 25
Similarly, Unidentified hoodlums on Thursday, February 25, attacked the Divisional police headquarters in Aboh Mbaise in Imo state. Although the hoodlums were engaged in a gun duel with officers on duty, they succeeded in setting the station ablaze and inflicting gunshot injury on a policewoman.
March 2021: 1 police personnel killed, 6 stations attacked.
March 1
Monday, the first of March 2021, unknown gunmen attacked the Iboko Divisional Police Station in Izzi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Nigeria’s South-east. The attackers were said to have thrown fire bombs in the building which set a small portion of it ablaze. However, no casualties were recorded in the attack.
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March 9
A police station located at Ishinweke in Ihitte/Uboama local government area of Imo state as well as vehicles were set ablaze by some said to be angry youths in the area. Witnesses told newsmen that the attack was sparked by the alleged killing of two siblings in their house linked by policemen. There was no Casualties as the policemen on duty sighting the angry youths took cover and abandoned the station with their belongings.
March 18
On the 18th of March, hoodlums attacked the recently rebuilt Ekwolobia police station in Anambra around 4 am and injured some policemen. The police station was among the ones razed during the October #EndSARS crisis but it was renovated recently.
DSP Ikenganyia Tochukwu, Police Public Relations Officer in Anambra neither confirmed nor denied that officers were killed but said policemen responded swiftly and chased the hoodlums away.
March 20
Unknown armed gunmen on Saturday attacked Divisional Police station in Umuelemai in Isiala Mbano local government Area of Imo State. The gunmen killed a policeman on duty, destroyed doors & windows and proceed to loot the amoury but were repelled by other police personnel on duty.
March 21
Gunmen on Sunday attacked a police station in Mgbakwu in the Awka North Local Government Area of Anambra State. The hoodlums armed with guns and dangerous weapons had attempted to burn down the station but were successfully repelled by the police personnel on duty. However, a policeman sustained injuries from the attack.
April 2021: 5 policemen killed, 8 stations attacked.
April 5
On April 5, gunmen attacked the Imo police command headquarters. They freed no fewer than 150 suspects held at the command and burnt vehicles. When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Orlando Ikeokwu said only the State Criminal Investigation Department SCID session of the command headquarters are attacked by the gunmen.
April 6
Gunmen razed the Divisional Police Headquarters in Ehime Mbano LGA in Imo on April 6. No police personnel died in the attack but at least four vehicles were burnt. The same day, the Police in Ebonyi repelled an attack by gunmen on the Ugbodo Police Station in Ebonyi LGA. One of the assailants was killed while a policeman sustained injuries from the attack.
April 8
Apprehension engulfed communities in Imo on the April 8 as gunmen attacked the Mbieri Divisional Police Headquarters in Mbaitoli council area of the state. One of the police officers, who fought back, was abducted while another two officers sustained serious gunshot injuries, The gunmen who released detainees at the station, also took away the phones belonging to suspects and police operatives at the station.
April 19
Gunmen killed two policemen during an attack on the Zone 13 Police Headquarters in Ukpo, Dunukfia LGA in Anambra. The deceased were identified as Inspector Ishaku Aura and Uzoma Uwaebuka. The gunmen, numbering at least 20, torched some offices and scores of vehicles parked on the premises.
Also on the 19th, Gunmen attacked a police station at Uzoakoli, in Bende LGA of Abia State. They freed detainees before burning the station including private & official vehicles, tricycles and motorcycles parked on the premises. Fortunately, no life was lost in the incident.
April 21
Unknown gunmen in the early hours of Wednesday attacked the Divisional Police Headquarters, Adani in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State. Three of the police officers on duty were reportedly killed and several others injured while the police station was burnt.
