Violent Criminals Kill 4 Policemen, Burn Patrol Vehicles In Southeast Nigeria

At least four policemen were killed in two separate attacks on patrol teams in Anambra State, Southeast Nigeria, on Wednesday.

The attacks were unleashed on patrol teams in Mkpologwu and Omogho in Aguata and Orumba North Local Government Areas of the state, respectively, at about 11:30 a.m., the police said.

The shootings came just a day after Monday Bala Kuryas, the state’s Commissioner of Police, warned criminal elements to repent or relocate from the state.

Kuryas, who recently assumed duty in the state as the police chief, interacted with journalists and warned criminals to be wary.

However, violent criminals have shot two police officers at Nkpologwu on Wednesday and set their patrol vehicle ablaze.

A local source said assailants in two vehicles opened fire on the police teams, killing two instantly in Mkpologwu and Omogho, respectively, before setting their vehicles ablaze.

“At Nkpologwu, the gunmen with Jeep stopped, opened fire at the policemen and killed two of them at the spot, while about three policemen ran away. At Omogho, all the policemen were killed, and their vehicles set ablaze,” the source said.

Haruna Mohammed, Police Public Relations Officer in Anambra State, confirmed the attacks and said the Commissioner of Police had visited the attacks’ scenes.

Mohammed, who did not confirm the number of victims, said their guns were carted away by the assailants.

“The gunmen who drove in a saloon car and a black Mercedes Benz 4Matic SUV opened fire on the policemen deployed to patrol the two locations,” he said.

“Meanwhile, the CP has ordered for a discreet investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident and bring perpetrators of the dastardly act to book.”

HumAngle reported that on Tuesday, a police station was attacked and set ablaze by suspected members of the separatist group, Independent People of Biafra, in the commercial town of Aba in Abia State, Southeast Nigeria.

HumAngle is following a trend of coordinated attacks on security officials in the southeast. Most of the attacks have either left security officials dead or wounded and the attackers taking their service rifles and ammunition away.