Two police officers were killed by unknown gunmen suspected to be members of the Eastern Security Network (ESN), an armed group associated with the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), along old Gariki Road in Okigwe Council Area of Imo State.
This was disclosed by the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Henry Okoye, on Saturday in Owerri
While giving an account of how the incident happened, the police said the gunmen threw dynamites at the officers while on security patrol. Two of the officers were killed and four others survived the attack after an exchange of gunfire with the attackers.
“The Commissioner of Police, Imo State Command, CP Aboki Danjuma has condemned the attack and gruesome murder of personnel of Mopol 18, Owerri, by gunmen suspected to be members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed affiliate Eastern Security Network (ESN).
“The officers were ambushed in the early hours of today, 23/03/2024 while on patrol duties along old Gariki Road Okigwe by the disgruntled elements who threw dynamite on the officer’s patrol vehicle and engaged them in a protracted gunfight. In the process, two officers paid the ultimate price while four others survived the attack.
“On receipt of the ugly incident, the Commissioner of Police Imo State Command, CP Aboki Danjuma alongside Commander Mopol 18 and 64, immediately led operatives of the Command’s Special Tactical Unit to the crime scene for on-the-spot assessment and tasked the operatives to go all out in synergy with other security agencies and hunt down the hoodlums responsible for the attack.
“More so, CP Aboki Danjuma has mandated the Assistant Commissioner of Police in Charge Okigwe, the DPO, and other Tactical units deployed in Okigwe to embark on visibility patrol, intelligence-led raids of criminal hideouts, and place watertight security to forestall any future occurrence,”
Okoye said.
The CP, therefore, urged the general public, especially the residents of Okigwe who may have any useful information to assist the Police in the investigation to kindly do so by reporting at the nearest police station or via 08034773600, 08103341610.
He also appealed to the residents to go about their lawful business without any form of fear or intimidation and not panic at the sight of the massive deployment of security operatives in Okigwe.
He urged them to support the Police and other security agencies in the onslaught against violent crimes in the State.
