Police Arrest 13 Over Attack On Operatives, Recover Firearm In Enugu

The Enugu State Police Command has arrested thirteen (13) suspects and recovered a locally made single-barrelled gun following an armed attack on its operatives at Akpakume community in Udi Local Government Area of the state.

According to a statement by the Command’s Public Relations Officer,  Daniel Ndukwe, the operatives were on a lawful mission to arrest suspects linked to conspiracy, unlawful possession of firearms, and cult-related activities when they were ambushed by the suspects and their cohorts.

“The hoodlums opened fire on the operatives, inflicting injuries on some of them. However, the officers responded with superior firepower, forcing the assailants to retreat with gunshot wounds. In the process, thirteen suspects were arrested, and a locally made single-barrelled gun was recovered,” Ndukwe stated.

He added that the attackers also destroyed operational and private vehicles in the area before escaping into nearby bushes.

The Commissioner of Police, Mamman Bitrus Giwa, who visited Akpakume on Tuesday for an on-the-spot assessment, condemned the attack and the destruction that followed.

He noted that the hoodlums also vandalized houses, shops, crops, and livestock, acts reportedly linked to an ongoing intra-communal conflict in the community.

Giwa urged residents to remain calm and law-abiding, assuring that the Command has intensified efforts to apprehend the fleeing suspects and bring them to justice.

“We are committed to ensuring that peace and order are fully restored in Akpakume and its environs. I urge community leaders and residents to cooperate with the Police by providing credible information that will aid ongoing investigations,” he said.

The Command reiterated its resolve to sustain the tempo of operations against criminal elements across the state, while calling on the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious persons or activities to the nearest police station or through the Command’s emergency lines.