Assailants destroy police camps, burn officers’ motorcycles in war-torn Ebonyi community

The Police in Ebonyi State have lamented the attack on its personnel and burning of property including motorcycles, belonging to security agents in Effium Community, Ohaukwu Local Government Area of the state.

It was gathered that the assailants attacked and burnt the belongings of security agents in the area, while also destroying tents in their camps, in a bid to send them packing from the area.

Recall that the people of Effium and Ezza have been enmeshed in protracted communal clashes that have led to the killing of many natives and destruction of property worth billions of naira in the area.

In a statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mrs Loveth Odah, which was made available to journalists on Friday, the Commissioner of Police, Mr Aliyu Garba, warned against further incursions into police camps in the area and called on stakeholders to caution their youths.

The statement read, “The attention of the Ebonyi State Police Command has been drawn to the unfortunate attack on the security personnel posted to Effium for peacekeeping in the crisis-torn communities precisely at Inikiri Bernard and Effium Urban on 23/08/2021.

“The attackers destroyed their camps, setting ablaze their personal effects and one motorcycle allocated to them for domestic use.

“The Commissioner of Police, Ebonyi State, CP Aliyu Garba psc+, laments that the incident by suspected Effium/Ezza fighters is unwarranted as the security agencies have always maintained a high level of professionalism by remaining neutral since the inception of the crisis.

“He notes that if the officers had not deployed restraints, the story would have been something else.

“However, the CP warns that the Command and other security agencies would not tolerate any further incursion nor attack whatsoever from any of the warring tribes. Reiterating that the highly disciplined officers are there to restore peace and would continue doing that to the best of their ability.

“He, therefore, calls on the stakeholders from both sides of Effium/Ezza to caution their youths/worries to desist from taking laws into their hands as the security agencies are more than capable of defending their lives in the event of any further attack.”

Credit: Punch