Gunmen suspected to be members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) have set some parts of the headquarters of the Imo Police Command on fire and attacked the Owerri Correctional Prison.
The gunmen also attacked the nearby office of the Criminal Investigation Department of the Imo state police command, also freeing a number of suspects in all the cells.
The attackers burnt almost all the vehicles parked at the command headquarters.
The gunmen only spared the anti- kidnapping department of the state CID.
The armed men, who were said to have operated in over 10 vehicles, also attacked soldiers stationed Umuorji along Owerri-Onitsha Expressway.
The attackers were said to have had a free rein in the operation said to have started from 1am Monday and lasted for over two hours.
An eyewitness told our correspondent that the gunmen burnt the operational vehicles of the soldiers, who fled in different directions.
They were so bold to have sang solidarity songs at the Government House roundabout for about 30 minutes before attacking the facilities, according to a security source.
Security men stationed at the gate leading to the seat of government were said to have taken to their heels.
A source said that on breaking into the prison facility with the aid of explosives, the gunmen jocularly told inmates, “Go home, Jesus has risen. You have no reason to be here.”
A correctional official told our correspondent that wardens sustained injuries as they fled.
When contacted, the police spokesperson in the state, Orlando Ikeokwu, confirmed the attacks.
According to him, only the SCID session of the command headquarters was attacked by the gunmen and suspects were released.
The Monday attack is coming on the heels of several similar attacks on security agencies in the Southeast suspected not to be unconnected to the battle between the security agencies and secessionist group, Independent People of Biafa (IPOB).
“Meanwhile while some of the inmates in the Correctional facility refused to go while others have voluntarily returned,” the news release said, quoting an unnamed security officer.
The Correctional Service and the police are yet to issue statement on the attack. Efforts to reach their spokespersons were unsuccessful.