The Police Commissioner in Anambra, CP Ikioye Orutugu, has led a team made up of the Nigerian Army, the Anambra State Police Command, and the Agunechemba Security Squad to Ndiukwuenu community in Orumba North LGA. This is where gunmen killed two policemen and two civilians.
This visit comes after an attack on Sunday night along the Amansea, Ndiora, Ndiukwuenu, Awa, Ufuma Road. The gunmen struck the convoy of Chief of Staff to Governor Chukwuma Soludo, Chief Ben Nwankwo.
Reports show that the death toll from this attack has now reached four. This includes two police officers and two civilians who were part of the convoy during the attack.
While visiting on Monday, the CP checked the crime scenes to see the situation for himself. He also reassured the local community and oversaw the tactical teams that are working on the investigation.
Orutugu ordered a full-scale search for the attackers. He also called for the use of forensic teams to track them down. He criticized the councillor and the community president for not alerting security agencies about criminal activities in the area.
He said, “This is an on-the-spot assessment of the crime scenes to personally evaluate the situation. A full-scale manhunt and the deployment of specialised forensic assets to track the perpetrators have been initiated.
“We charge the local community to work closely with the Rapid Response Squad of the Command to facilitate the arrest and prosecution of those behind the attack using intelligence gathering.”
Members of the Agunechemba Security Squad who accompanied the CP confirmed that the attackers operate from Awka, the state capital. They use a white jeep to attack nearby communities before escaping.
The Publicity Secretary of the Agunechemba Security Squad, Mr Nweke Nweke, confirmed the attackers' methods. He said their team has been keeping a close watch on them.
“We have kept a close watch on these criminals, and we can state categorically that they are not residents of the area. They come from Awka, carry out their operations in a guerrilla-style manner, and then retreat back to the capital city.
“This is largely because our outfit has intensified operations within the capital city, making it difficult for them to perpetrate their criminal activities there. As a result, they now target neighbouring communities close to Awka.
“We are already working in collaboration with other security agencies through joint patrol operations to nip the crime in the bud. Significant progress has been made in intelligence gathering, and this indicates that we are closing in on the perpetrators,” Nweke added.
Nweke also revealed that tips from the public and residents of the affected communities have helped in the investigations and gathering intelligence.
The Councillor for Ndiukwuenu Ward, the community President-General, and the Vice President-General have joined the joint security team in the manhunt for the gunmen who carried out the killings.
In Ndiukwuenu Community, security personnel have taken control of major areas and searched surrounding bushes to find the attackers' hideouts.
During this operation, one suspect wearing police camouflage was arrested.
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