Two police officers lost their lives on Thursday night after gunmen launched an attack on a police patrol team in Enugu State.
The incident occurred around 9 p.m. along Agbani Road in Enugu South Local Government Area. The location is close to a police college and not far from the Force Criminal Investigation Department in the state capital.
According to information gathered, the officers were members of the Distress Response Squad, a unit established to respond rapidly to security threats and criminal activities within the state.
Eyewitnesses said the attackers set the patrol vehicle belonging to the police team ablaze during the assault. A video recorded shortly after the incident showed the vehicle engulfed in flames.
Confirming the development, the Enugu State Police Public Relations Officer, Daniel Ndukwe, said the officers were ambushed while on duty. He alleged that the attackers were suspected members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
“The criminals suddenly opened fire on the police team without provocation. The operatives responded promptly, forcing the assailants to flee with varying degrees of gunshot injuries.
“During the exchange of gunfire, the team’s operational vehicle caught fire, while two police officers sustained severe gunshot injuries,” he said.
“The injured officers were taken to the hospital for urgent medical attention but were later confirmed dead by the attending medical personnel.”
Mr Ndukwe did not disclose the identities of the slain officers.
He added that the Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Bitrus Giwa, has directed officers to intensify efforts to apprehend those responsible for the attack.
According to the police spokesperson, Mr Giwa ordered operatives to deploy “available resources and leverage actionable intelligence” to track down the suspects.
He also confirmed that a Lexus 330 SUV, allegedly stolen earlier and used by the attackers, has been recovered by the police.
The commissioner appealed to residents of the state to cooperate with security agencies by providing “credible information” that could lead to the arrest and prosecution of the assailants.
Mr Ndukwe assured residents that the police would remain committed to ensuring justice and restoring public safety.
IPOB, which is agitating for the secession of the South-east and parts of the South-south from Nigeria, has repeatedly denied involvement in violent attacks across the region despite often being accused by security agencies.
(PREMIUM TIMES)
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