Abia Police Command Looses Inspector, Kill 2 Armed Men In Gun Duel
A Police Inspector from Ndiegoro Police Station, in Aba, the commercial bane of Abia State was, yesterday, shot dead by some yet to be identified gunmen around Ohanku Road-Iheorji Junction.
The Nigerian Police Force, Abia State Command, disclosed that the devastating incident occurred on Tuesday, when Police Surveillance patrol team from Ndiegoro Division in Aba, came under attack along Iheorji-Ohanku road by unknown armed men.
According to the command’s PPRO, SP Geoffrey Ogbonna, in a statement made available to newsmen on Wednesday, said other gunmen fled with gunshot injuries.
Two of the attackers were reportedly neutralised by the police in the ensuing gun duel.
Confirming the incident, the Abia Police Public Relations Officer, SP Geoffrey Ogbonna, said the incident happened at about 12:30 pm on Tuesday.
“During a gun duel, one of the policemen paid the supreme price, while two of the gunmen were neutralized.
“As they shot the policeman they also collected his Police AK 47 riffle,” he said.
A witness told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Aba that the Inspector was killed by one of the gang members when he went after the hoodlum as he was escaping.
The witness who gave his name as Ahanna, said that the incident happened about noon on Tuesday.
“We were to the market when we saw these boys, who were inside a tricycle with very powerful guns as they passed us. It was not long when they passed by us that some policemen on patrol followed them.
“The policemen engaged them and killed two of them while the others ran away and one ran into the back of a nearby building.
“The Inspector ran after the robber that ran to the back of a nearby building unknown to him that the other robber was waiting for him.
“The robber shot at the Inspector at close range and killed him on the spot,” he narrated.
Ogbonna said that the police were on the trail of the gunmen who escaped and urged residents to volunteer credible information that would help in their arrest.