Gunmen attack policemen in Abia, injure three

Three operatives of the Abia State Command attached to the Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) are battling for survival after gunmen attacked them.

The SCID office is located in Umuagu, Ugwunchara, Umuahia North local government area.

Though details of the incident were still sketchy at the time of filing this report, It was however gathered that the gunmen inflicted serious bodily injuries on three police officers whose identities were yet to be disclosed.

The Nation learnt one of the police operatives on duty at the facility was seriously macheted while his other colleagues sustained bullet injuries.

The injured officers were rushed to an undisclosed hospital where they were receiving medical attention.

It was also learnt the armoury of the SCID was also invaded though it was still not clear if arms were carted away.

Another report has it that the attacked officers were in front of the facility while they were carrying out a stop and search operation.

The weapons of the policemen were reportedly carted away by the gunmen dressed in mufti.

The incident was said to have forced shop owners to quickly close for business on Wednesday evening.

“What surprises us is that the guys attacked the officers and fled the scene in a twinkling of an eye.

“I believe that the police officers were never expecting such a thing. But one wonders how policemen that were on stop and search; if they were alert enough, could not have spotted the boys and engaged them.

“We didn’t know if the gunmen came from behind or in front of them, but I can assure you that they might have taken their time to monitor those policemen. The siad gunmen are professionals, if not a group of dismissed security personnel officers.

“Can someone who doesn’t know how to cork a gun think of how to disarm a trained policeman that is bearing arms?

“I suggest that the police command should interrogate officers very well to eliminate insider’s collaboration,” a resident of the area hinted.

Abia Police spokesman Geoffrey Ogbonna confirmed the incident.

“The attack was on the men doing stop and search in front of the State CID

“Two injured. Efforts are in place to unravel the identities of the perpetrators with a view to arresting them,” Ogbonna said.

(Nation)