The Imo State Commissioner of Police, CP, Mohammed Ahmed Barde has ordered a full-scale investigation into the explosion which occurred on Wednesday, May 4 close to an oil facility in Izombe Community, Oguta Local Government Area of the state.
Barde, also directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to ensure security was beefed up in the area.
The spokesman of the police in the state, CSP Michael Abattam disclosed this in a statement dated May 5.
Abattam said the command was also working in synergy with other security agencies to ensure protection of lives and property in the state.
Abattam said the command’s tactical teams and Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit had swung into action upon receipt of report from the Chief Security Officer of the Addaa Flow Station, Izombe of an explosion within the precincts of the facility.
He said on arrival, the teams discovered a lifeless body of a young man with two hands chopped off lying at the scene.
The police spokesman said the policemen also found out that the lifeless young man was in possession of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in company of others and might have been ferrying the devices to location where they might use them.
ALSO READ Police Confirm Kidnap of Two Passengers in Rivers
According to Abattam, the bomb suddenly exploded resulting in the death of the young man while his gang members were suspected to have been fatally wounded going by the volume of blood seen at the scene of the blast.
The police image-maker said the Bomb Unit of the command recovered three ore IEDs, adding that one of them had been detonated while the two others connected with GSM phones and would only explode when the configured number is dialed are still intact.
According to the police spokesman, the police also recovered a big iron cutter and an Itel handset from the scene of the blast.
He added that the distance between oil tanks/pipelines and the scene where the blast occurred was five metres which made the police to suspect that the hoodlums might have targeted attacking the oil facility before they met their waterloo.
Abattam said; “The Bomb Unit took charge of the scene, sweeping carefully the area and beyond in the process three more Improvised Explosives Devices where recovered. One has been detonated while the other two specifically constructed with GSM phones attached to them and will only explode when the configured number is dialed were still intact. On conclusion, the scene was declared safe from any explosive devices.
“It was then the police operatives carried out a diligent search where a big iron cutter and an Itel handset were recovered to the station.
“On the spot assessment of the scene of the incident, it was discovered that the distance between the oil tanks/pipelines and where the explosion occurred is about five meters hence, it is suspected that the target of the hoodlums might have been to attack and destroy the company’s facilities before they met their waterloo”.
Comments 1