Facts emerging from the recent attack on the Imo State police command headquarters and the Nigeria Correctional Service custodial centre in Owerri, the state capital, indicated that the Department of State Service (DSS) had alerted the state police command on an impending attack, 48 hours before the incident occurred.
“The Commissioner of Police ignored credible intelligence sent from the DSS warning of the impending attack”, security sources hinted on Wednesday.
It was learnt that following intelligence reports, the DSS had conducted discreet vulnerability assessment of the two correctional facilities in Imo State and advised that the facilities be fortified based on observed security lapses.
“The commissioner of police received a credible intelligence report 48-72 hours before Monday, warning of an impending attack on the police headquarters in Imo State between April 4 and 6, yet the police did not heed to actionable intelligence, the consequence of which has led to over 1800 inmates being released into society”, according to Eonsintelligence.com.
It was learnt that another tragedy was averted on Tuesday, April 6, as the military, acting on credible intelligence from the DSS, guarded the Okigwe prison against a similar attack from gunmen, suspected to the members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
