Photo: Gunmen
Gunmen on Thursday killed three policemen in Anambra State following an attack on a police checkpoint at Umunze in the Orumba South Local Council Area of the state.
The incident occurred about 12 noon and caused pandemonium in the area as the gunmen were said to have shot indiscriminately for about an hour.
It was learnt that the gunmen operated in unmarked dark Sports Utility Vehicle and killed the policemen at the joint security checkpoint on Ihite road.
An eyewitness said that the ferocity of the attack turned the area into a theatre of war.
He said for over one hour the hoodlums shot indiscriminately and that apart from the three casualties, some others may have sustained gunshot injuries in the attack.
While confirming the incident, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Tochukwu Ikenga, a DSP, vowed that the development 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 reinforcement teams are already in the area and the manhunt for the assailants is ongoing while joint security patrols have been intensified in the area.”
Meanwhile, the police had earlier celebrated two unrelated incidents of crime which they excelled in the past two days.
In a statement, Ikenga said, “In the early hours of today police operatives attached to Ogbunike division responding to a distress call along St Monica College, Ogbunike road, arrested one Mr. Jamui Emiron, ‘m’, aged 22 years and recovered one already damaged yellow Mitsubishi L300 bus with Anambra reg. no: 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 escaped.
“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 recovered 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.
It, however, encouraged 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.
