Abia Police Command allays residents’ fears of possible bandit attack

The residents of Abia State are in a state of unease after reports suggested an imminent attack by bandits.

This report, however, was dispelled by the Abia Police Command who allayed the fears of the populace against this threat.

SP Geoffrey Ogbonna, the state’s police spokesman made this clarification via a statement issued in Umuahia on Tuesday.

“People should stop raising false alarm so that if anything happens we will know,” Ogbonna said.

He said the trend if allowed to continue, would continue to heighten fear and panic among the citizenry.

Ripples Nigeria garnered that a viral rumour in Umuahia on Monday night alluded that killer herdsmen had invaded the capital city and its adjoining villages and ready to attack the people.

The rumour sparked off fear among residents, with many making midnight telephone calls and short messages to friends and relatives, urging them to be alert and vigilant.

The alarm spread among the Umuahia Ibeku communities, including Ohokobe, Ohobo-Afara, Ugwunchara, Okwuta, Amuzukwu, Okwulagha-Afara, Isiama-Afaraukwu, and Ohokobe-Ndume.

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However, the police spokesman said he had yet to get any formal report on the alleged invasion.

He said: “I also received several calls that communities in Ubakala, Ameke, Iseke, Amuzukwu, Amakanma, Umudike, and others had been invaded.

“Even in the area where I live, the community mobilised in the night and kept vigil until this morning.”

Ogbonna, however, said that in spite of the panic and fear generated by the alarm, “no community has come to report about any attack.

“I expect people to go to police stations in their areas to report. Where the station was burnt, like Ubakala, they should feel free to report to the Central Police Station.

“For now, we do not have any report about any attack in any communities,” he said.

By Mayowa Oladeji

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