The Anambra State Police Command on Saturday confirmed that two of its operatives and one civilian car tracker, were killed by gunmen in an ambush operation.
Spokesperson of the Command, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, who confirmed the development in a statement, said the deceased officers and the car tracker, were killed after the hoodlums armbushed them while on a mission to recover a stolen vehicle.
Ikenga said, the policemen numbering six and the car tracker traced the stolen car to Achalla community in Awka North LGA but were ambushed by gunmen believed to have stolen the car being tracked.
According to Ikenga, a police reinforcement team that later returned to the forest where the hoodlums set up their camp, engaged the criminals in a fierce gun battle.
Ikenga also said that the police neutralised some of the armed hoodlums.
The statement read: “The Anambra Police Command, Friday, 15/07/2022, recovered a human skull, one locally made rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) launcher, two (RPG) bombs, one single-barrel long gun, an empty chain of bullet, one Toyota Sienna, one Mercedes Benz Formatic jeep, two cylinders, a huge quantity of hard drugs and other items, including a police beret and a police belt in a criminal den at Amukabia, Achalla, Awka North LGA in Anambra State.
“The recovery came about following a counter-offensive operation launched against criminal elements who had on 15/7/2022 laid an ambush against a 6- man police team and a civilian car tracker who were on a recovery operation of a Toyota Sienna Space Wagon vehicle earlier snatched on gunpoint on 9/7/2022 in Oye-Agu Abagana.
“Four of the police operatives escaped the ambush, while two of the police operatives and the car tracker were captured by the criminals.
“The police operatives, during the counter-offensive operation, neutralized some of the armed men and destroyed three of their camps.
“Unfortunately, some of the hoodlums escaped with bullet wounds, having already murdered their captives and set their bodies ablaze.
“The remains of the two murdered police officers and the civilian tracker have been recovered and deposited in a morgue, while police operation is still ongoing in the area to track the fleeing gang members.
“The Commissioner of Police Anambra State Command, CP Echeng Echeng, while condoling the families and friends of the murdered civilian (car tracker) and the police operatives, described the incident as a classic example of the risk and sacrifices the police are exposed to in the onerous task of serving and protecting the country.
“He also assured Ndi Anambra that efforts are being intensified towards total reclamation and domination of all the public spaces occupied by hoodlums in the state, apprehending and bringing the hoodlums and their accomplices to justice.”
