Gunmen Kill 3 Policemen, Others Injured In Anambra
It was a black Sunday in parts of Onitsha the commercial town of Anambra State, as gunmen descended heavily on residents, killing three Policemen and several people who died in the process.
Also, a patrol vehicle belonging to the police was set ablaze during the sporadic shooting in the area.
ThisNigeria gathered that the policemen were killed during a shootout at about 9 am Sunday between the gunmen and security operatives along Ukaegbu/ Ezeiweka road near Awada in Onitsha town.
It was further learnt that the gunmen had swooped on the policemen who mounted at a junction within the area where they allegedly collect money from motorists with impunity and in the process cause hours of traffic gridlock, a development suspected to have angered the gunmen.
But the state police command said one of its personnel paid the supreme price during a gun battle with the gunmen near the Awada area of Onitsha.
A source close to the scene said “Any time they (policemen) stay there, the residents feel relieved because the place is a dangerous zone. But the way they extort motorists is what people don’t like. The problem the Policemen have is that they don’t listen or monitor situations. People are angry because of the situation of things in the country and you continue to extort them every day.
“It’s been sometime now we heard of gunmen killing people again in Anambra State. I hope the new Commissioner of Police will talk to his men to stop the extortion impunity in the State.
“Nobody knows the unknown gunmen, many people believe they are members of the pro -Biafra agitators and the reason all of us should be careful on things we do.”
It would be recalled that the Commissioner of Police in the state Mr Tony Olofu had during his maiden press briefing in Awka on Wednesday last week, warned that he would deploy drastic measures to deal with criminals and not to hesitate to ease out any policeman indulging in unprofessional conducts.
There are mounting concerns in parts of Anambra State over the security situation less than two months to the November 6th Governorship election in the state.
About three weeks ago, the monarch of the Mkpu-Nando community in Aguleri town in Anambra East Local Government Area of the state HRH Alex Edozieuno, was gruesomely assassinated alongside his driver simply identified as Chukwuemeka near Otuocha bridge in the state.
The murder of the traditional ruler had pitched the ruling APGA against the opposition APC as they trade blames over the ugly incident.
On its part, the electoral umpire, INEC few days ago raised the alarm then the repeated Sit-At-Home order by members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its burnt facility at the commission’s headquarters in Awka the state capital posed serious to preparations for the governorship poll in the state.
In addition, the 18 participating political parties and their Governorship candidates have withdrawn from open campaigns ahead of the actual contest due to the uncertain security issues in parts of the state.
Police Public Relations Officer of the State Command DSP Tochukwu Ikenga when contacted confirmed the incident.
He disclosed that the command lost one person who paid the supreme price by dying in active service and two civilians during the shootout between the police and the gunmen.
He said the attack on police personnel was a call for more work, adding that the security operatives have intensified patrol runaround the Onitsha axis of the state and other areas towards arresting the perpetrators of this crime. Meanwhile, one of our personnel paid the supreme price and two civilians during the exchange of gunfire between the gunmen with our personnel.
