Again, gunmen reportedly kill three police men in Anambra
From Chinedu Nwafor, Abakaliki
Gunmen have struck again in Anambra State were they reportedly killed three policemen following an attack on a police checkpoint at Umunze, in the Orumba South local council.
The incident, it was gathered, occured Thursday at about 12noon and shot indiscriminately for hours.
The gunmen were said to have stormed the joint security checkpoint at Ihite road in an unmarked dark Sports Utility vehicle.
Confirming the incident, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Tochukwu Ikenga, described the incident as unfortunate but noted that it would not deter the command from achieving its objective of sustaining safety in the state.
He said: “It is an unfortunate incident and is part of the highest price security officers pay in serving the nation but the police command is not deterred by this development.
“The reinforcements teams are already in the area and the manhunt for the assailants is ongoing while joint security patrols have been intensified in the area, ” he said.
Meanwhile, the Anambra police Command said its operatives one armed robbery suspect involved in the attack and robbery of occupants of a residential house in Ezi-Ogidi, abducted a female victim and was en route to their den before police were alerted.
The statement said: “In the early hours of today(Wednesday) police operatives attached to Ogbunike division responding to a distress call along St Monica College Ogbunike road, arrested one Mr Jamui Emiron ‘m’ aged 22years and recovered one already damaged yellow Mitsubishi L300 bus with Anambra reg nos: UKP 729 A.
“The suspect is among a gang of armed robbers that attacked and robbed occupants of a residential house in Ezi-Ogidi, abducted a female victim and was en route to their den before police were alerted.
“The members of the neighbourhood had already supported the police by blocking the exit points within the area, intercepting the vehicle and apprehending two of the gang members while others escape.
“Unfortunately, upon the arrival of the police operatives, one of the suspects had already been set ablaze by the angry mob and the criminal operational vehicle was badly damaged. The Operatives rescued the victim, the second suspect and recover the vehicle.
“The Command while reiterating the campaign against mob action by some members of the public who resort to jungle justice whenever they arrest suspects in respect of any crime, commended the efforts and courage of community members in the apprehension of suspects but encourage them to take such suspect to the nearest police station whenever they are apprehended.
“This would afford the police the opportunity to conduct an appropriate investigation into the nefarious activities of the suspects and bring them to justice following extant laws”.
“Earlier, police had arrested members of another gang of kidnappers and rescued their victim at Afor Nnobi road.”
