Two police personnel were shot dead by suspected assailants at Uga roundabout, Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State on Thursday evening.
The gunmen said to be on a kidnap mission, were operating in the area when a team of policemen attached to a motorcade but unaware of their presence, ran into them.
The Policemen were trying to clear the traffic gridlock but the armed men who sensed danger, shot two of them dead and fled the scene after a duel following response from other personnel.
Meanwhile, Mr Aderemi Adeoye, Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, has directed an intensive manhunt for the assailants.
DSP Toochulwu Ikenga, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Anambra Command who disclosed this in a statement, said the gunmen were disguised in military fatigue.
Ikenga said Police-led mobile Forward Operating Base which had been on intensive patrol of the entire area throughout Christmas celebrations promptly responded to the scene.
He said a Lexus SUV the gang used, and AK-47 RIFLE belonging to one of the slain personnel were recovered while an improvised explosive device found in the vehicle was recovered and defused.
According to him, they opened fire on the officers who had moved ahead of the motorcade they were escorting to decongest traffic gridlock, other personnel returned fire forcing the bandits to flee.
“The CP Aderemi Adeoye had declared the weekend and Christmas holidays as special working days for all officers and men in the command, he commended all personnel for their tireless and courageous effort in securing the people of Anambra State.
“The CP has urged all officers and men of Anambra State Police Command to redouble their efforts and remain vigilant while assuring that technology would be employed to track down the criminals who unleashed the attack on Police personnel,” he said.
Ikenga reported the CP as urging personnel in the command not to be demoralised by the supreme price paid by their colleagues but draw inspiration from their bravery in confronting the criminal gang.
The CP condoled with the families of the deceased officers and Enugu State Police Command and vowed that the personnel would not die in vain.
Adeoye called for calm and encouraged the people of Anambra not to allow the incident to create fear in their minds but to continue with various activities they had slated for the yuletide season.
