The police in Anambra State, south-east Nigeria, say they have killed two gunmen and arrested three others in separate operations in the state.
Tochukwu Ikenga, the police spokesperson in the state, said in a statement on Sunday night that one of the gunmen was killed at Igbo-Ukwu, a community in Aguata Local Government Area of the state.
Mr Ikenga, a deputy superintendent of police, said while the hoodlum was shot dead, three members of his gang were arrested by police operatives during the early Sunday operation.
“The gang (members) which boarded a commercial bus from Nnewi today, Sunday 14th January, 2024, arrived at police checkpoint and was stopped for a search. One of the hoodlums alighted, pulled a berretta pistol and was gunned down,” he said.
“A search of the bag they were travelling with yielded a concealed dagger.”
The Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, Aderemi Adeoye, praised the police operatives for their vigilance, Mr Ikenga said.
Mr Adeoye directed the State Criminal Investigation Department to take over the case for “thorough investigation.”
He assured residents of Anambra State that the police in the state will continue to be alive to their responsibility of protecting lives and property in the state.
Killing of armed robbery suspect
Mr Ikenga, in another statement on Monday, said police operatives from the Police Special Crack Squad have foiled an armed robbery operation in Ihiala, a community in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State.
The police spokesperson said the operatives, who were deployed to the area ahead of the last Christmas, killed one of the robbery suspects during the operation on Friday.
He said the alleged robbers had attempted to rob a middle-aged man of his vehicle at Ubahuekwem, a village in the Ihiala Community.
“On sighting the squad, the gunmen who operated on two motorcycles opened fire on the police. Operatives professionally engaged them to avoid hitting the would-be victim of the armed robbery who then zoomed off from the scene,” he said.
One automatic pump action gun and two motorcycles were recovered from the suspected robbers, according to the police.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Adeoye, according to the statement, expressed satisfaction with the “tremendous work” the police squad has done.
The police chief charged the operatives not to relent in flushing criminals out of Ihiala and neighbouring communities like Isseke, Lilu, Orsumoghu and Azia, which have witnessed increased attacks in the state lately.
He assured of continuous provision of logistics support to the police squad to ensure the accomplishment of their crime-fighting task in the area.
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