No fewer than 10 hoodlums were killed and three camps habouring the criminals who go by the name of “unknown gunmen” were destroyed by the Anambra State Police Command in Achalla, Awka North local government area of the State.
The State Police Command’s spokesperson, DSP Toochukwu Ikenga, confirmed that the police operation against the gunmen.
He, however, said that two policemen and a civilian car tracker were killed by the hoodlums during the operation, which took place on Friday.
Ikenga said the criminals had on July 15 captured two policemen and a civilian, who was described as a car tracker, who had joined the police in their operation, with the aim of recovering a stolen vehicle.
He said the police, therefore, reinforced and dislodged the criminals, leading to the killing of some of them, while many others escaped with bullet injuries.
“During the operation, police recovered a human skull, one locally made rocket propelled grande RPG launcher, two (RPG) bombs, one single-barrel long gun, empty chain of bullet.
“Other recovered items include; one Toyota Sienna, one Mercedes Benz 4matic jeep, two cylinders, a huge quantity of hard drugs and other items, including a police beret and a police belt.
“The recovery came following a counter-offensive operation launched against criminal elements who had on 15/7/2022 laid an ambush against a 6-man police team and a civilian car tracker who were on a recovery operation of a Toyota Sienna Space Wagon.
“The vehicle was earlier snatched at gun point on 9/7/2022 in Oye-Agu Abagana. Four of the police operatives escaped the ambush, while two of the police operatives and the car tracker were captured by the criminals,” the PPRO stated.
Ikenga further stated that during the counter-offensive operation, police operatives neutralized over 10 of the armed men and destroyed three of their camps.
“Unfortunately, some of the hoodlums escaped with bullet wounds. They (hoodlums) had murdered their captives (two policeman and a civilian) and set their bodies ablaze.
“The remains of the two murdered police officers and the civilian car-tracker have been recovered and deposited in a morgue, while police operation is still ongoing in the area to track the fleeing gang members,” he said.
According to him, the State Commissioner of Police, Echeng Eworo Echeng, while condoling with the families and friends of the murdered civilian and the police operatives, described the incident as a classic example of the risk and sacrifices the police are exposed to in the onerous task of serving and protecting the country.
Echeng also assured Anambra people that efforts are being intensified towards total reclamation and domination of all the public spaces occupied by hoodlums in the state by apprehending and bringing them and their accomplices to justice.
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