Police battles suspected IPOB members in Abakaliki
…Killing one, others escaped with injuries
Charles Nwankwo, Abakaliki
One suspected members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has reportedly been killed by men of the Nigeria Police, on Wednesday evening, in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital.
It was gathered that the suspect was killed when he and his gang operating in a Siena bus and a power bike attacked a team of police men on stop and search operation along Enugu/Abakaliki expressway.
The state’s Police Public Relations Officer, SP Chris Anyanwu, confirmed the incident in a statement forwarded to newsmen and noted that no police officer was killed in the attack as earlier rumoured on the streets.
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“On 17th August 2022, a team of patrolmen attached to ‘B’ Division, Kpirikpiri, Abakaliki were attacked while on stop-and-search operation along Enugu, Abakaliki Express way by a gang of hoodlums operating in a SIENA space bus and a power bike.
“The hoodlums suspected to be members of the proscribed IPOB/ESN were heading towards the direction of Enugu and on coming across the police patrol team, fired gun-shots sporadically at them with the aim of killing and taking up their arms.
“Luckily, the men who were at alert and well-positioned, promptly rose to the occasion and fired back at the hoodlums. One of them yet to be identified was demobilized and arrested while several others escaped with bullet injuries.
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“The arrested one was taken to Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki where he later gave up the ghost.
“The following items were recovered from the deceased hoodlum, one cut-to-size AK 47 rifle, one matchet, charms, a pocket Bible with charms pinned at the book of Psalms, Chapter 91,” it stated.
However, Anyanwu confirmed that two police men who sustained injuries are responding to treatment
He said the escaping hoodlums are being trailed by operatives of the Command.
