The Anambra State government has promised to hunt down the gunmen who attacked the convoy of Dr Ben Nwankwo, the Chief of Staff to Governor Chukwuma Soludo, on Sunday night.

Nwankwo, a former federal lawmaker who was recently confirmed as an aide of the governor, was attacked by unidentified gunmen, who killed his friend and two security operatives attached to him.

Meanwhile, it was gathered that the death toll in the attack has risen to four.  Two police officers from the state command attached to the Office of the Chief of Staff were killed in the attack.  However, it was later discovered that two civilians on the entourage equally lost their lives, bringing the total casualty figure to four.

The state government has expressed shock over the incident after what appears to be a period of relative peace in the state.

The Commissioner for Information and Value Reorientation, Dr Law Mefor, in a statement, has equally bemoaned the horrific incident. Though the police had promised to ensure that the gunmen were tracked down, Mefor said no stone would be left unturned.

The statement read: “This was more than an attack on one person. It was an attack on the peace, security, and democratic order of our state, as well as the government and people of Anambra.

“This isolated incident, after more than one year of peace and security in the state, will not affect our determination to remove all forms of crime from Anambra.”

While sending the government’s deepest condolences to the families of those who died in the incident, Mefor stated that the government shares in their grief, noting that they deserve justice.

He stated that the police and other security agencies are working to fish out the culprits and bring everyone involved in the evil act to justice.

However, the Commissioner of Police, Ikioye Orutugu, led a joint team of the police, army, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and others, under the Anambra State Homeland Security Squad (aka Udogachi) to the scene of the dastardly attack and took control of major flashpoints before combing the surrounding bushes in a bid to uncover the hideouts of the assailants.  A suspect wearing a police camouflage uniform was eventually arrested by the team yesterday.
Investigation revealed that a camp might have existed around the community, after the hoodlums were dislodged from Ufuma and other notorious camps in Orumba South Local Council Area.

CP Orutugu reprimanded the President-General, his vice and the councillor representing Ndiukwuenu Ward, who did not inform security operatives about the likely existence of such a notorious camp within the neighbourhood.  He announced the drafting of the three leaders of the community into the security joint task team in the ongoing manhunt for the gunmen responsible for the killings.