The Ebonyi State Police Command has confirmed the killing of four personnel by unknown armed hoodlums suspected to be IPOB/ESN members in the early hours of Friday.
OsunDailyNG had earlier reported that unknown gunmen killed some policemen in the state on Friday.
Police Public Relations officer PPRO), DSP Joshua Ukandu, confirmed the incident in a statement issued on Friday evening.
Parts of the statement read: “Today 08/03/2024 at about 05:00am, operatives of the Command who were posted to duty at hilltop stop and search/pin-down point along Nwofe Road, at the outskirts of Abakaliki, were attacked by armed hoodlums suspected to be IPOB/ESN members, who shot sporadically at the operatives.
“The operatives engaged the hoodlums in a fierce gun duel, and in the ensuing gun battle, the hoodlums scampered and abandoned a pump action rifle which was recovered.
“Four (4) of the operatives paid the supreme price, while two (2) civilians were caught in the crossfire and killed.”
According to the statement, the Commissioner of Police, CP Augustina Ogbodo, swiftly dispatched tactical teams of the Command to the scene.
The statement said the tactical teams are on the trail of the fleeing hoodlums.
