..Says 7 officers, 2 hoodlums were killed
Barth Ndubuwah,Port Harcourt
The Rivers State Police Command has confirmed the attack on Policemen and vehicles in the State.
According to statement issued in Port Harcourt by the Command’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO),SP Nnamdi Omoni, “the incident which led to the death of seven Policemen occurred last night at about 20.30hrs, where unknown gunmen driven in two branded Hilux vans, attacked the Special Check Point at Choba Bridge, where in a surprise attack, killed two Policemen on duty and set ablaze a private car belonging to one of the Policemen,”the statement said.
The statement also said that “a similar attack was launched at Rumuji Police Station by the same hoodlums who killed two Policemen on duty and burnt a Police patrol vehicle. However, a stiff resistance by the Police prevented the hoodlums from gaining access into the Police station. In the course of exchange of fire, two of the attackers were fatally wounded and died on the spot.
The third attack at Elimgbu Police Station was equally resisted by the Police, though three officers were killed in that attack but the serious fire engagement made them to abandon their bullet riddled Hilux van, while they escaped with various degrees of gunshot wounds with a snatched Sienna bus,”it said.
The PPRO said continued engagement by the Police, also forced them(hoodlums) to abandon the Sienna car they were using to escape at the Refinery Junction, while their remnants were said to have escaped with bullet wounds.
The release said the corpses of the ‘fallen heroes’ have been evacuated and deposited in the mortuary, while the Commissioner of Police, CP. Eboka Friday, who led members of his management team and tactical Commanders to the respective scenes for an on-the-spot assessment, has launched a manhunt for the preparators,with a view to apprehending and bringing them to justice.
The Command is said to be relatively calm and the Commissioner of Police is currently in a security meeting with his team. The PPRO said security has been beefed up in all the Police formations in the State, including other critical public and private infrastructure.
He dismissed rumours making the rounds that police stations were burnt. “It is pertinent to note, that in all three attacks carried out last night, no Police Station or formation was burn. Regrettably, a total of five assault rifles were lost in the incident,”Omoni said.
He enjoined the public to increase their security consciousness and report any person or persons with gunshot wounds to the nearest Police Station or call the following numbers:
- 08032003514
- 08098880134
The incident occurred despite the dusk to Dawn curfew imposed in the State early this week by Governor Nyesom Wike, following recent attacks and killing of security officers in Rivers State.