In Ebonyi, Police confirm attack, two officers missing

Ebonyi state police command, Monday, confirmed attack on police personnel on Sunday, November, 28, 2021.

Personnel of the anti-robbery squad of the Nigerian Police were said to have gone to Igbuduoke village in Effium/Ezza clan with Hon. Chinedu Awo, the state House of Assembly member representing Ohaukwu North to investigate activities in connection of three missing engineers who were abducted early November in the same area.

Blueprint gathered that they were acting on a tip off that the engineers were killed and buried in a forest at the area, with an attempt to investigate and exhume the bodies at the forest.

It was also said that one of the police officers was killed in the gun duel, his body and another officer were abducted in the process.

But police in a statement signed by the Public Relations officer of the command, DSP Loveth Odah, said they were ambushed while returning from the investigation.

The statement reads, “On 28/11/2021 at about 1340hrs while the Police Operatives were returning from investigation in connection with the three missing engineers who were abducted in the same area on the 3rd of November, 2021 while on ring road site project, the operatives were in the company of Hon. Chinedu Awo, a member representing Ohaukwu North Constituency in the State House of Assembly who accompanied the operatives to enable him to dialogue with the warriors at Igbuduoke village in Effium/Ezza clan ‘the warring community’ in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of the State.

“They were ambushed by armed Ezza warriors numbering over sixty (60) who attacked them from all flanks but the operatives gallantry fought back, resulting in heavy casualties on the side of the attackers.

“However, DSP Bruno Chukwu, and two others sustained bullet wound injuries and are currently responding to treatment, while two Police officers by name, Sergeant Donatus Osugwu and Sergeant Thaddeus Ugoeze, are suspected to have been abducted by the hoodlums as they were discovered missing in action. 

“Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police Ebonyi State Command CP Aliyu Garba (psc+) led a convoy of about seven teams on reinforcement where they cordoned the forest and searched the village but could not see the missing officers nor the perpetrators. Efforts are in top gear to ensure the perpetrators are tracked down and arrested.” 

However a top security personnel who spoke on the condition of anonymity blamed police for embarking on such mission without being properly fortified.

He said police acted out of carelessness.