Nation
127 S’South, S’East Cops Killed, 25 Stations Razed –Report
More than 25 police stations have been attacked in parts of the South-East and South-South in the past five months.
Reports also showed that over 127 policemen and other security personnel have been killed during the attacks.
The attacks which have occurred in Abia, Imo, Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi, Cross River and Rivers states, have spread fear among the populace.
It was gathered that many security operatives were seeking redeployment to less volatile parts of the country.
On Monday, gunmen attacked and burnt the Apumiri Ubakala Police Station in the Umuahia South Local Government Area of Abia State.
The attack, which occurred despite the 8pm to 6am curfew imposed on parts of the state, was the fifth in eight days.
Prior to the attack, police stations in Nkporo, Uzuakoli, Ubani Ibeku and Bende had been attacked and burnt.
Earlier on January 23, two policemen were killed after gunmen invaded a police station in Aba.
On February 1, hoodlums, numbering about 20 razed the police division in Omoba, in the Isiala Ngwa South LGA of Abia State, killing a policeman and looting the armoury.
Gunmen also attacked the Abayi Police Station in Osisioma Ngwa LGA in Abia on February 23.
They killed a policeman, looted arms and set the station ablaze.
On March 23, three police officers attached to the Abiriba Police Division were killed in Ohafia LGA and their rifles taken away.
Similarly, a police station was burnt at Ihitte-Uboma LGA on March 9.
In Imo State, two policemen were killed on February 5 at the Umulowo Police Division in the Obowo LGA.
Also, a policewoman was shot when suspected hoodlums attacked a police station in the Aboh Mbaise LGA on February 25.
On April 5, gunmen attacked the Imo State Police Command Headquarters and the Correctional Centre in Owerri.
They looted the armoury, torched several vehicles and freed no fewer than 600 detainees and 1,844 inmates.
Hoodlums also attacked the divisional police headquarters at Isiala Mbano on March 20, but no casualty was recorded.
In Anambra State, hoodlums killed a police officer and razed a patrol vehicle in Ekwulobia on February 24.
On March 18, an unspecified number of policemen were killed in Ekwulobia when gunmen attacked various locations.
Two staff members of the Nigeria Correctional Service in Awka, who were escorting inmates to court in Ekwulobia, were gunned down.
On March 31, three policemen attached to the former Central Bank of Nigeria governor, Prof. Charles Soludo, were killed in Isuofia.
The same violent attacks were recorded in Ebonyi State when three policemen were attacked at Onueke Police Station in the Ezza South Local Government Area of the state on January 8.
A police station was burnt at Isu, Onicha LGA on February 4.
On March 1, a police station was attacked at Iboko Police Division in Izzi.
On April 14, three policemen attached to the Safer Highway Patrol team were killed in an attack at Ogoja-Abakaliki Expressway by Nwaezenyi junction.
The attackers, who disguised as a burial party, opened fire when stopped for a check.
The Assistant Inspector-General, Operations, Johnson Kokumo, at a forum in Abuja in April said that more than 20 police officers had been killed across the country as of March.
An Intelligence and Security Risk Consultant, Kabir Adamu, lamented the targeted attacks on security personnel and formations.
Adamu said, “It is an indication that what we have predicted is likely to happen. When gunmen started attacking military formations in the South-East, there was an analysis that suggested that it is a prelude to a bigger plan that they have and this plan may include an all-out attack of this manner and in terms of consequences, I don’t think Nigeria can afford another all-out conflict like what is happening in the North-East.”
The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has commemorated the 15th anniversary of the release of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Environmental Assessment Report on Ogoniland, reaffirming its commitment to restoring the environment and improving the livelihoods of affected communities.
In a statement signed by the Project Coordinator, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, to commemorate the anniversary, HYPREP described the anniversary as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s environmental restoration efforts, noting that the project has made remarkable progress in implementing the recommendations of the landmark UNEP report released on August 4, 2011.
The UNEP report had revealed extensive oil pollution across Ogoniland, severe environmental degradation, and serious public health risks resulting from decades of petroleum operations. It also recommended an initial $1 billion fund to commence the cleanup of the affected communities.
According to HYPREP, the Federal Government formally launched the Ogoni clean-up in 2016, while the Project Coordination Office was established in 2017 to drive the implementation of UNEP’s recommendations.
Zabbey said the current administration has continued to prioritise the project under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Providing an update on the cleanup, the Project Coordinator disclosed that 30 of the 65 contaminated sites identified by UNEP have been fully remediated, while work is ongoing at several medium- and high-risk locations. It also stated that more than 1.5 million mangrove seedlings have been planted as part of what it described as the world’s largest restoration of oil-degraded mangroves, with over 1,000 hectares of shoreline already rehabilitated.
Zabbey further revealed that 49 Ogoni communities have been connected to potable water schemes through multiple water projects and booster stations aimed at providing safe drinking water across the region.
In the health sector, he said the 100-bed Ogoni Specialist Hospital in Kpite and the 43-bed Cottage Hospital in Buan are nearing completion, adding that several existing health facilities have been upgraded with modern medical equipment, while five ambulances have been donated to improve emergency healthcare services. The Project Coordinator also disclosed that a three-year human health biomonitoring study is being conducted in collaboration with the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
On economic empowerment, Zabbey stated that the Project has created more than 8,000 direct jobs and trained thousands of Ogoni youths and women in various vocational and technical skills, including software development, cybersecurity, aviation, commercial diving, seafaring, mechatronics, and creative arts. The project also reported awarding scholarships to more than 1,000 students, providing grants to small businesses, and supporting persons living with special needs through skills acquisition programmes.
The statement further highlighted ongoing legacy projects, including the Ogoni Power Project and the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration, which it said is about 96 per cent complete. HYPREP also welcomed the recent designation of the Ogoni Wetland as a Ramsar Site of International Importance and pledged to continue promoting biodiversity conservation and sustainable management of the ecosystem.
Marking the anniversary, Zabbey said the progress achieved over the past 15 years demonstrates the collective commitment of government, development partners, stakeholders, and local communities to restoring Ogoniland. He called for renewed collaboration to sustain the cleanup effort, promote environmental sustainability, and support the long-term development of the region. 3
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