Policemen disappear across the southeast as attacks mount giving criminals a field day

POLICEMEN operating across the southeast geo-political zone have disappeared from public in fear of their lives allowing criminals to have a field day as the growing insecurity in the region starts to spiral out of control.

Over recent weeks, the growing insecurity that has been ravaging Nigeria has spread to the southeast, with police stations being burnt down and correctional centres being attacked with inmates set free. Since February when the first attack on policemen took place, things have now escalated to the point whereby gun battles now take place in urban centres.

So far, no one or group has owned up to the attacks, nor have they been any reason for the action, leading to the southeast gradually descending into anarchy. As a result, there are hardly any policemen in roads across the southeast at the moment, leading to lawlessness becoming the order of the day.

Besides the unknown gunmen, there have been cases of herdsmen killings in states across the southeast, in addition to the problems of cultism and armed robbery. In May, there have been attacks on police facilities across all the five southeastern states of Nigeria, with the attendant loss of property including vehicles and buildings and in extreme cases, the loss of lives.

As this lawlessness continues, the attackers have moved from just burning down police stations and killing policemen to other government facilities. Of late, there have been attacks on the offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Abia, Enugu and Imo states.

Just two days ago, hoodlums launched an attack in Abia State, killing two policemen at the Ubakala police station in Umuahia South Local Government Area. They also carted away two rifles belonging to the slain policemen and destroyed vehicles, tricycles and motorcycles parked in the compound before setting the station alight.