Angela Mbaocha, Abakaliki
Three gunmen suspected to be members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, and Eastern Security Network, were yesterday gunned down during a joint operation of the Ebonyi State Police Command Tactical Operation Teams, the Military and DSS in Isu, Onicha, local government area of Ebonyi State.
Briefing journalists on the development, the State police spokesperson, SP Chris Anyanwu, disclosed that the joint operation was sequel to an attack on a Police patrol on Monday evening during which a Police officer was murdered in cold blood by the hoodlums.
Anyanwu said that based on intelligence at the Police Command’s disposal, the hoodlums were trailed to a camp at Isu Onicha.
“While surveying the one-way route into the camp, the combined security forces were ambushed by the hoodlums who rained sporadic bullet shots in their direction.
“In a swift and spontaneous response, the joint team engaged the hoodlums in a counter-firing that lasted over 30minutes and neutralized them. As a result of the superior firing power of the joint team, some of the hoodlums with bullet-wounds scampered for escape in different directions. The team later combed the bush and recovered two AK rifles with a few rounds of their ammunition and three corpses of the assailants.
“The team made their way to the main enclave of the miscreants and after a thorough ransacking, recovered more exhibits”, he added.
The spokesperson revealed some of the items recovered during the operation to include, one AK-49 rifle breech number 1984-AM1196, One AK-47 rifle breech number 1971-DF2726, One AR rifle with illegible breech number, One hundred and forty-seven (147) rounds of AR ammunition, Thirty-eight (38) rounds of AK-47 ammunition among others.
He assured that efforts were still on to apprehend the fleeing criminals, while urging members of the public to assist the Police with relevant information about the activities of the criminals and their hideouts and be assured of utmost protection of their identities.
The Command advised all medical practitioners and hospital operators to report any case of patients with bullet injuries to the police for necessary actions.
