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A deadly ambush on Monday evening along the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway’s Irete axis left five lives lost, including four police officers and a female point-of-sale operator, in a brutal attack by unidentified gunmen.
A normally quiet stretch of road near SaveMore Market Place in Irete, Owerri West LGA, became a scene of chaos when unidentified assailants targeted police personnel manning a checkpoint, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake.
The clock struck 6:30 p.m., a seemingly ordinary moment in time, but one that would forever be etched in the memories of those who witnessed the unspeakable tragedy that unfolded in the blink of an eye.
“The security personnel were taken unawares as the gunmen suddenly opened fire on them, killing four and a female PoS operator nearby. It was a terrible situation as people around ran for their safety when they heard the gunshots. The horrifying event has left the Irete Community in shock and mourning,” the witness said.
In a calculated move to evade pursuit, the assailants unleashed a hail of bullets on the patrol van, targeting its tires and rendering it immobile, thereby ensuring that any surviving officers would be unable to give chase.
Police Commissioner Aboki Danjuma vehemently denounced the heinous assault, decrying the “senseless slaughter” of his officers and an innocent bystander, as he struggled to come to terms with the magnitude of the tragedy.
Read also: Inspector, 3 Civilians Fall To Gunmen’s Bullets In Aba
A statement by the command’s spokesman, ASP Henry Okoye, accused the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra/Eastern Security Network of being the masterminds.
Mr Okoye disclosed that the police commissioner “has deployed the command’s Tactical Units with the available operational assets and intelligence to go all out in synergy with other security agencies and hunt down the hoodlums responsible for the attack.”
The police personnel fell victim to a stealthy ambush while conducting a standard patrol operation in Irete, along the bustling Owerri-Onitsha Expressway, a route typically characterized by its heavy traffic and mundane activity.
The commissioner further revealed that the bodies of the fallen officers and civilian had been retrieved and transported to the mortuary for proper examination, while the injured survivor was swiftly whisked away to a nearby medical facility, where they are reportedly showing signs of recovery.
