The Anambra State Commissioner of Police, CP Nnaghe Obono Itam has condemned the recent violent incident in the Nnobi and Nnewi communities vowing to bring the perpetrators to justice.
This follows the abduction and subsequent gun battle that resulted in the deaths of three individuals, including a vigilante operative, and left two others injured.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, Itam expressed outrage over the incident, describing the assailants as cowards and pledging a relentless manhunt to apprehend them.
The statement read, “The Commissioner of Police, CP Nnaghe Obono Itam has ordered a manhunt operation on the assailants and vows to get justice for the heroic act of the murdered vigilante operative and others. The Commissioner condemned the killings in the strongest possible terms, describing the killers as cowards who have ‘murdered sleep.’ He consoles the families of the deceased and vows to get justice for the victims.”
“The tragic events unfolded on Monday when security operatives were tracking suspected kidnappers who attacked a burial ceremony and abducted a citizen using a red Highlander at about 1:30 p.m. in the Nnewi area. The suspects were followed to Nnobi, where they engaged in a gun battle with the police. During the exchange, a vigilante operative was fatally shot, and stray bullets struck two innocent bystanders.
“The armed men, operating in a red Highlander jeep, abducted a citizen in Nnewi at about 1:30 p.m. on June 17, 2024, and were trailed to Nnobi, where they engaged security operatives in a gun battle. During the gun duel, one of the security operatives was fatally hit by a bullet, and due to the indiscriminate shootings by the hoodlums in an attempt to escape, two innocent passersby were also fatally struck.”
It added that on arrival at the scene of the incident, five injured individuals were promptly rushed to the hospital for urgent medical attention.
“When the police responding team arrived at the scene and found five individuals severely injured during the attack. They were promptly rushed to the hospital. Unfortunately, three of the victims, including a 22-year-old woman, were confirmed dead by the doctors on duty, while two others are currently receiving treatment.
“The Police Responding Team at the scene recovered the bodies of the victims and took them to the hospital, but regrettably, three of the victims, including a 22-year-old lady, were confirmed dead by the doctors on duty, while two others are currently receiving treatment,” Ikenga said.
PUNCH Metro earlier reported that some gunmen invaded the Nnewi community in Nnewi North Local Government Area as well as the Nnobi community in Idemili South LGA of Anambra State on Monday.
Sources in the areas who spoke to our correspondent on the condition of anonymity, said several persons sustained varying degrees of injuries as the assailants suspected to be enforcing the Monday sit-at-home exercise shot indiscriminately into the air when they arrived.
The sources said, “The gunmen arrived in three vehicles and went straight to a popular hotel at Nnewichi (name withheld). One of the persons in the hotel at the time they attacked was abducted by the gunmen.
“The gunmen shot sporadically into the ground while the bullets were flying all around the hotel’s premises. Mobile phones and other valuables were collected from the victims the gunmen met in the hotel.
CP Itam has called on the public, especially eyewitnesses, to provide any information that could assist in the ongoing manhunt operation.
“Further updates will be provided as the investigation continues”, Ikenga’s statement concluded.
