Aba shooting: Abia bans keke, okada as gunmen attack Abayi police station
A police officer was killed when gunmen invaded a police station in Aba, Abia State on Tuesday morning.
The slain officer was killed during a gun battle with the attackers who were up to 100 in number, state police spokesperson Geoffrey Ogbonna said. The Abayi police station was also burnt down by the gunmen who freed some suspects during the invasion.
Ogbonna also noted that some of the gunmen also recorded some casualties as many of them fled with gunshot wounds while others were arrested.
“Hospitals can give treatment to people with suspected bullet injuries to revive them, but they should do well to report such a person to a nearby police station,” he said while calling on health practitioners to report anyone with gunshot injuries who shows up at their facility.
The Abia State Government has condemned the attack and offered monetary reward for information leading to the arrest of more of the perpetrators.
The government has also issued a limited ban on keke and okada operators.
“We wish to assure members of the public that government is working with security agencies in the state to fish out the perpetrators of this dastardly crime and bring them to justice as quickly as possible,” information commissioner John Okiyi Kalu said in a statement on Tuesday.
“No part of Abia land will be ceded to criminals operating under any guise and we will not spare any resource in ensuring that the perpetrators of this dastardly act are brought to book in no distant time and the stolen arms and ammunition recovered completely.
“Sadly, the arms these hoodlums have carted away from law enforcement agents will most likely be used against innocent citizens. Government therefore calls on citizens to avail law enforcement agencies with vital information that will lead to the arrest of the criminals and recovery of these arms .
“We are determined to pay N1m for any information leading to the recovery of any of the stolen arms and or arrest of any suspect. Anyone with such information can contact this number: +234 803 914 8294.
“Such information will be treated with the utmost secrecy it deserves.
“Consequently, Government hereby imposes a ban on Keke/Okada operations between 7pm and 7am in all major cities of the state starting from today, 23rd February, 2021.
“Once again, we call for total vigilance and prompt information from citizens to ensure the arrest and prosecution of the hoodlums. We call on banks and other vulnerable institutions to fortify security around their places of business while strongly advising all security formations in the state to remain on red alert until the situation is fully pacified.
“Law abiding citizens and visitors are advised to go about their normal businesses while maintaining vigilance as measures have been put in place to ensure their safety.
“Those attacking security agents and formations only seek to engender anarchy and fear in the minds of our people but we will not allow them to win or turn our focus away from the onerous task of rapidly developing our state. We will therefore continue to support security agencies with whatever they need to foil the agenda of the hoodlums.
“While we implore community leaders to be vigilant, we urge parents and guardians to take more interest in the activities of their children and wards to avoid their falling prey to criminally minded individuals.”
