An officer of the Nigerian Police Force has been reportedly beheaded in Abia State.
The victim, simply identified as Linus, was reportedly killed by some unknown gunmen along East Street, Ndiegoro, Aba, Abia State.
OsunDaily News learnt that Linus and his colleagues were at Tenant Road along East Street on Tuesday at about 5:00 a.m. when the assailants engaged them in gunfire.
On sighting the hoodlums, other police officers on the team allegedly fled the scene while Linus (a.k.a Agbalagba), an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), was attacked.
According to Vanguard, the criminals cut off the ASP’s head and made away with his gun and service uniform.
A resident who pleaded anonymity reportedly told journalists that the gruesome killing on Tuesday had caused tension among residents of East Street, Ngwa Road, Akpu Road, Ndoki Street, Etche Road, and Ulasi Road, all within the Ndiegoro axis as the criminals were said to have threatened to attack more policemen and residents.
“With what we heard, they said they have declared war on police and the residents. I don’t know what happened, but the way they killed the policeman, with his head removed and what we heard they were shouting during the attack, shows that there’s a problem in Aba,” the resident reportedly said.
A retired police officer who pleaded anonymity stated that with the threat to attack more policemen in Aba, it is time the Inspector General of Police, the Commissioner of police and other security heads pay attention to what is happening in Ndiegoro, especially the areas linking it with Ogbor-Hill.
He said: “The police officer that was killed along Tenant Road by East Street had his head cut off, his arms carted away, and his uniform taken away as well. What does that tell you? The criminal activities are becoming too much, yet the Commissioner of Police in Abia is behaving as if nothing is happening.
“I don’t know if the IGP is not getting reports of how these boys are causing fear and threatening his men on duty. Aba needs more police manpower. We have only eight functional police stations policing urban areas of the five local governments in Aba here.
“Do the Ohuru-Isimiri Division, Ndiegoro Division, Central Police Station, Uratta Division, Eziama Division, Azuka Division, Abayi Division and Osisioma Ngwa Division have the manpower and equipment to handle what’s currently unfolding here? Even the presence of Mopol 55, Rapid Response Squad (RRS) in Eziama and the anti-kidnaping unit, Aba Annex in Ndiegoro boundary with Ovom, is not enough.
“Aba is densely populated, and places like this Ndiegoro and the other side of the River (Ogbor-Hill) and even the Umunkama area crime–prone. This is exactly why this city called Aba is not expanding. The IGP and the Commissioner must act fast and take away these areas from the hands of criminals who have occupied them before it is too late.”
However, the state police command has not issued any official statement on the incident as of reporting time.
