3 police officers killed as gunmen attack Ebonyi

At least three police officers have been shot dead by gunmen in Ebonyi state.

The unknown assailants reportedly attacked the victims at Onuebonyi/Nwezenyi Junction, in the Izzi local government area.

The attack happened around 7pm on Wednesday, Punch reported. The victims were on lawful duty.

The gunmen, it was gathered, wore mourning attires and were said to have operated with two Sienna buses and others, with which they escaped from the scene of the incident, after they attacked the policemen.

State police spokesperson Loveth Odah said some of the assailants equally sustained injuries, from gunshots from female police officers.

“According to information, some of the attackers disguised themselves and were moving in convoy as if they were doing a burial rally and mourning with three motorcycles, three tricycles, with two Sienna buses following them,” Oduah said on Thursday.

“While the policemen were checking them, they opened fire and killed two of the police officers that were closer to them at the checkpoint, though the other ones, which we call Men At Sentry shot at them and reasonably, we suspect that some of them (assailants), were also wounded.

“One of the policemen was shot at close range and he was among those coming to help their colleagues over what was happening and he did not know that the tricycles that passed them were among the attackers.

“So, the attackers went up there and killed the police officer in the police van and set the police vehicle ablaze. That made them three police officers we lost yesterday (Wednesday).”

The latest attack occurred four days after the South-East Governors’ Forum, led by Ebonyi governor David Umahi, launched a regional security outfit, codenamed Ebube Agu.