Operatives of Enugu state police Command serving in Ogui Division on Friday night, repelled a gunmen attack in the heart of the town.
A statement signed by the command’s spokesperson, Ndukwe Daniel said the operatives “while conducting stop and search along Presidential Road, Enugu, suddenly came under attack by armed hoodlums suspected to be IPOB/ESN criminal elements, who operated in three SUV jeeps.
Ndukwe, a deputy Superintendent of Police said during the attack which happened on May 10, 2024, around 9.30 p.m., “the Operatives returned fire, forcing the hoodlums to escape with varying degrees of gunshot wounds and abandoning a recovered Lexus RX 300 jeep with Reg. No. KTU 991 FD.
“However, two of the operatives sustained gunshot injuries in the ensuing gun duel and were taken to the hospital for medical treatment.”
The statement further stated that the commissioner of police, CP Kanayo Uzuegbu “has ordered the massive deployment of the Command’s operational, tactical, and intelligence resources to sustain the ongoing operations to hunt-down and bring the criminal elements to book.
Reacting to the incident, the Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, has placed a N10 million bounty on the heads of the killers of two policemen in Enugu State, Friday night, saying the state would go after the culprits with every resource at its disposal to bring the killers to book.
Mbah pledged the reward while briefing newsmen after a State Security Council meeting at the Government House, Enugu, which also had in attendance, the state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr. Kanayo Uzuegbu; State Director, State Security Services, Theresa Egbunu; Garrison Commander, 82 Division, Nigerian Army, Enugu, Brigadier General Murtala Abu; and the State Commander, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Peter Ogar, among others.
On the possible culprits, Mbah said available security information pointed to men of the Eastern Security Network, ESN, who came in several SUVs, among them a black Lexus SUV. He, therefore, called on members of the public to be on the lookout for the criminals and the exhibits and report same to security agencies.
“We just rounded off our Security Council meeting where we discussed, among other things, about the gruesome killing of our policemen – men of the Enugu State Police Command - by criminals suspected to be members of the ESN.
“Let me say this, this bestial and cold-blooded action cannot be condoned in Enugu State. I have given my directives to the security agencies that there must be no hiding place for these criminals in Enugu State. We must use everything necessary to hunt down, arrest, and bring to justice the perpetrators of this heinous crime.
“We have also placed a bounty of N10 million as a reward to anyone, who would have any useful information that will lead to the arrest of these criminals. So, I enjoin members of the public to, please, come forward, or call the police and other security agencies with any useful information that could lead to the arrest of these criminals.
“We do not have room to accommodate these people, these vagabonds, and these miscreants in our state.
“We are going to do everything necessary to ensure that the ultimate sacrifice made by our valiant policemen does not go in vain.
“Our condolences go to the bereaved families. I will also ensure that as government, we are going to provide the necessary support to the bereaved families.
“Let me just also add that those who murder our policemen or indeed any member of our security agencies may assume that they have triumphed in their evil acts. Let me inform them that we are going to come after them with everything we have.
“We are going to deploy all the necessary technology, all the necessary forces within our powers to track them, capture them and defeat them. Enugu State and indeed with the support of the security agencies, we are going to make life uncomfortable for those who do not want to live in a decent society,” he stated.
“The CP, therefore, solicits citizen support through the provision of credible information and intelligence, urging the public and owners of medical facilities in particular, to quickly report individuals sighted with gunshot wounds to the nearest Police Station. Or alternatively, contact the Command’s Control Room through 08032003702, 08098880172, or 08086671202, or send emails to infoenugupolice@gmail.com.”
