There is palpable fear in Imo State on Tuesday as gunmen engaged police in a gun duel as they attempted to burn Orji Divisional Police Headquarters situated on Owerri-Okigwe Road in Owerri under reconstruction.

Security operatives made up of soldiers, policemen and Air Force engaged the hoodlums in shootout which resulted to casualties on the side of the hoodlums

The situation caused panic in the area that forced two banks in the area to hurriedly close.

Customers and passersby took to their heels as vehicles diverted while motorists scampered for safety after running out of their vehicles. The situation caused serious gridlock around the city

Eyewitnesses told our correspondent that the gunmen, numbering over 20 attacked the police station after blocking the expressway with their vehicles.

Reacting, the police spokesman, SP Bala Elkanah said the police were able to repel the hoodlums before they could destroy the police station.

The leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele has revealed three state governors on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, planning to decamp to the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Primate Ayodele revealed that the Governor of Zamfara State, Bello Muhammed Matawalle, Governor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, and their Abia State counterpart, Okezie Ikpeazu are planning to defect from PDP to APC.

In a statement on Tuesday, the clergyman noted that Matawalle has made up his mind already, while Ugwuanyi and Ikpeazu are still contemplating defecting from PDP to APC.

He warned that if the PDP’s reconciliation committee fails to work things out, they will eventually decamp to the APC.

‘’The Governor of Zamfara State, Bello Muhammed Matawalle has made up his mind to leave the PDP. He is 99 percent out, If the party does not manage its situation well, the Governor of Enugu, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, and the Governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu will follow suit.

“They are currently contemplating and planning a strategy to leave the party, they are 40% out.’’

This is coming after the popular prophet made a prophecy days back that he foresees that PDP will lose more governors soon after the Governor of Cross River State, Ben Ayade decamped last week.

Primate Ayodele made it known that six top members that include governors, senators and honourable will leave the party if the party leaders do not work things out.

A yet-to-be identified middle-aged man suspected to be a suicide bomber blew up himself in Afikpo local government area of Ebonyi State.

The incident happened at about 11.30am on Tuesday opposite the campus 2 of Amaizu/Amangbala primary school in Afikpo LGA of the state.

A resident of the area, who spoke to LEADERSHIP on condition of anonymity, said that on hearing the sound of the explosion, residents of the area scampered for safety.

He said that the yet-to-be identified man was carrying explosive, which exploded on his body killing him instantly.

He noted that after few minutes, the residents reconvened at the scene of the incident only to discover the suspected suicide bomber laying dead in the pool of his own blood.

The resident, who pointed out that the incident happened close to the Eke Market in Afikpo, which happens to be the biggest market in the area, said that there was tension and panic in the community following the incident.

According to the source, the suspected bomber was earlier seen wandering within the area, adding that “He first came into a beer parlour and when the people inquired who he was, he left.”

He was said to have moved to the school side and when the gateman asked him to go back, he made effort to remove his clothes when the explosive went off.

Efforts to get the reactions of the Ebonyi State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Loverth Odah and the State Commissioner for Internal Security, Boarder Peace and Conflict Resolutions, Chief Stanley Emegha, proved abortive as several calls put across to them were not answered.