Unknown gunmen reportedly stormed a police checkpoint on Umunze-Ihite Road in Anambra State’s Orumba South Local Government, killing three officers.
This latest attack is part of a string of violent episodes in the region in recent months, raising fears about the region’s security.
The terrorists were claimed to have arrived on motorbikes and opened fire on the checkpoint officers, killing three and wounded others. Before the police force’s reinforcements arrived, the gunmen left the area.
A resident in the area, who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation, said the armed men fired gunshots into the air to scare residents.
He said the community had been deserted after the attack, as shop owners in the area hurriedly closed their shops while people fled the market and others remained indoors for fear of another attack.
“The incident happened early in the morning. Three policemen were killed by the gunmen. They fired gunshots in the air for several minutes as people ran away,” he said.
A video clip recorded shortly after the attack went viral on Thursday.
In the clip, the bodies of the slain officers were spotted in the area. While one body was lying along the road, the other two lifeless bodies were seen at the corner of a building very close to the scene of the attack.
When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident, describing it as one of the highest prices security officers pay in serving their nation.
Ikenga expressed regret over the loss but said that the police in the state was not deterred by the attack.
“It is an unfortunate incident and it is part of the highest price security officers pay in serving the nation but the police command is not deterred by this development.
“Reinforcement teams are already in the area and the manhunt for the assailants is ongoing while joint security patrols have been intensified in the area,” he said.
This incident is the latest in a string of attacks on security personnel and public institutions in Nigeria. The country has been grappling with rising insecurity in recent years, with attacks by insurgents, bandits, and other criminal elements on the rise. The government has been criticized for its handling of the security situation, with many calling for urgent action to be taken to address the root causes of the problem.
