Anambra police launch manhunt for insurgents who killed officers in ambush

The Anambra State Police Command has launched a manhunt for armed insurgents who infiltrated the state and killed two police officers on Thursday.

The attack, which occurred around 6:30 p.m. near a traffic gridlock, has left the community shaken and the security forces on high alert.

The attackers, disguised in military uniforms, were reportedly on a kidnap mission when they encountered the two officers, who were escorting a convoy. Mistaking them for potential targets, the insurgents opened fire, prompting a fierce exchange between the two sides.

The state police spokesperson, Tochukwu Ikenga, who confirmed the event, said that its other personnel returned fire, careful not to hit many motorists who were in traffic, forcing the bandits to flee.

“Police-led mobile Forward Operating Base, which had been on intensive patrol of the entire area throughout Christmas celebrations, promptly responded to the scene. It recovered a Lexus SUV the gang operated with and defused an improvised explosive device found in the vehicle. It also recovered an AK-47 rifle belonging to one of the slain personnel,” Ikenga said.

Anambra State Police Commissioner Aderemi Adeoye, who praised the courage of his officers, declared the weekend and Christmas holidays “special working days” for all personnel.

Adeoye also vowed to track down the attackers, stating that the deceased officers’ supreme sacrifice would not be in vain and urging all officers and men of the Anambra State Police Command to redouble their efforts and remain vigilant.

He further assured the public that technology would be employed to track down the attackers and encouraged residents not to be deterred by the incident but to continue with their holiday celebrations.