365news gathered that Armed gunmen attacked and killed three police officers at Agbani, the administrative center of Enugu State’s Nkanu West local government, causing unrest throughout Enugu.
The event happened early on Saturday morning not far from the Agbani Divisional Police station and the main market of the town.
The police officers were reportedly performing a stop-and-search at the time of the attack when the attackers spotted them and opened fire, killing the three security personnel.
It was learnt that the hoodlums continued to shot sporadically into the air as they fled the scene, scaring the residents and traders many of who took to their heels only to return to discover the lifeless bodies of the victims on the asphalted road.
A video circulating on social media showed sympathizers wailing and lamenting the incessant attacks on the policemen serving in the state by the “unknown gunmen”.
The attack came less than 24 hours after a former Commissioner in the state and erstwhile Chairman of Oji-River Local government area, Chief Gabriel Onuzulike and his elder brother were killed at their Nkpokolo-Achi hometown by gunmen.
The State police command on Saturday said that two of the assailants, who came from neighboring Anambra state, were intercepted and neutralized by a joint Police/Army team following a distress call on the incident.
The state police spokesman, Daniel Ndukwe, who gave an update on the Oji river incident in a statement, said: “Pending the receipt of a detailed report, kindly be informed that preliminary report reveals that two (2) of the assailants, said to have infiltrated into Oji-River from neighbouring Anambra State community, in the evening hours of 18/11/2022, that attacked and murdered one Gabriel Onuzulike (identified as former Chairman of Oji-River LGA and Commissioner in Enugu State Government) and his brother at Nkpokolo-Achi in Oji-River LGA, were neutralized by a Joint Police/Army Team, who swiftly responded to a distress call on the incident and intercepted the hoodlums at Inyi community of the same LGA, as they were escaping into Anambra State.
“The Team further recovered an AK-47 rifle with two magazines loaded with ammunition, while a Toyota Land Cruiser Jeep belonging to the deceased victims, a Toyota Camry car the assailants attempted to snatch from another victim and a RAV4 Jeep they used for the heinous criminal operation, amongst other incriminating items, were also recovered.
“Meanwhile, manhunt of the assailants, many of whom escaped into nearby forest with severe degrees of gunshot wounds in the ensuing gun duel, as a result of the superior firepower of the Joint Team, is still ongoing. Further development will be communicated,.”
