Two police officers on investigation mission to Uruagu area of Nnewi in Nnewi-North local government area of Anambra state have been killed by a criminal gang.
The deceased officers were among a team of policemen deployed to the area in the early hours of Thursday by the Anambra State Commissioner of Police, CP Nnaghe Itam to investigate a crime in the area.
Police Public Relations Officer in the state, SP Tochukwu Ikenga who confirmed the incident in a statement, said the hoodlums laid ambush on the police investigation team before attacking them.
Ikenga explained that the hoodlums, on sighting the police team started shooting sporadically and went further to throw an improvised explosive device into their operational vehicle.
He regretted that two policemen were killed in the process while their operational vehicle went up in flames.
The Anambra State Police spokesperson disclosed that CP Itam had already deployed a team of police operatives to hunt down the fleeing gang while urging members of the public, especially eyewitnesses to the attack to assist the command with useful information that could lead to the arrest of the hoodlums.
Ikenga, in the statement said, “Joint security force begins manhunt operation on armed men who murdered two police operatives on investigation activities in the early hours of today 3/10/2024 at Uruagu, Nnewi North.
“Preliminary information reveals that the armed men started shooting sporadically on sighting the police operatives and threw an Improvised explosive into their Operational vehicle.
“Unfortunately, two of the Operatives paid the supreme price while the vehicle caught fire,” he said.
Following the incident, the Command called on members of the public especially the eyewitnesses and other sundries to aid the ongoing police operations in the area.
Assuring of their utmost confidentiality, Ikenga urged the public to call the Command Control Room – 07039194332 or the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) – 08039334002 for any necessary assistance.
