•Seven killed, two missing •Govt offers reward to apprehend perpetrators
Anambra State Police Command has disclosed that two persons have been arrested in connection with Wednesday, May 17, 2023 attack on a convoy of the United States embassy that was travelling in the state.
This was just as the command revealed that seven persons were killed during the attack while two others had yet to be accounted for.
Disclosing this on Thursday, May 18, the state Commissioner of Police, Echeng E. Echeng, said that the team of officials from the Lagos Consulate of the United States of America and their police escorts were ambushed on Wednesday between 12:00hours and 14:00hours, along Atani/Osamela road in Ogbaru Local Government Area (LGA) of Anambra State by suspected Eastern Security Network (ESN) and Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
“Information about the incident was received by Anambra State Police Command, through an official of the consulate, at about 14:30 hours (2:30pm). Consequently, a joint team of mobile policemen and troops of the Nigerian Navy stationed in Onitsha was immediately deployed to the area.
“Upon arrival at the scene of the incident, the joint security team sighted and engaged the assailants in a shoot-out but they escaped through a nearby forest.
“Yesterday (Wednesday), joint security forces comprising police tactical teams from the command and troops of the Nigerian Army as well as the Nigerian Navy raided a camp in Ugwuaneocha community of Ogbaru LGA, which was suspected to be the hideout of the assailants, but discovered that it had been deserted.
“Two persons of interest were arrested and they currently assisting the police in the investigation. The criminal camp was razed down by the joint security team.
“The preliminary investigation conducted by the command, following the incident, revealed that five male officials of the USA consulate and four armed Mobile Police escorted from Lagos on a mission to assess the impact of erosion in Ogbaru LGA were travelling in a convoy of two vehicles when they suddenly came under attack by armed men who targeted them with gunfire and set their vehicles ablaze.
“Regrettably, seven persons (including three of the consulate officials and four Mobile Police escorts) were murdered during the attack while two other officials of the consulate are yet to be found.
“The deceased police officers include Inspector Bukar Adams, Inspector Friday Morgan, Inspector Adam Andrew and Inspector Emmanuel Lupata, all of Squadron 23, Police Mobile Force, Lagos. No USA citizen was among the casualties.
“Information from the USAID authority disclosed that five of their staff and four policemen involved in the attack are Jefferson Obayuwane (a retired DSS personnel), Sunday Prince Ubong, Ekene Nweke, Hassan Etila, Avwuvie Kaye Monday, Bukar . A. Kabuiki (Police), Emmanuel Lukpata (Police), Friday Morgan (Police) and Adamu Andrew (Police).
“Meanwhile, the remains of the deceased persons have all been recovered and deposited in a morgue while the state police command and other security agencies are working round-the-clock, in concert with the Government of Anambra State, to find and rescue the missing officials.
“In this regard, I call on members of the public who can provide information about the identities and locations of the culprits, to kindly assist the police with such information timeously.”
Also, the state government has promised to reward anyone who could volunteer information that would lead to the arrest of the suspects.
The government’s position was made known in a statement signed by the Press Secretary to the state governor, Christian Aburime.
The statement read: “We call on anyone with information on the identity or whereabouts of the criminals to offer same on our secured security phone numbers or to any of the security agencies and such informant will be handsomely rewarded. Investigations are underway.
“We assure our residents and visitors of our continued commitment to law and order. If anything, this incident has emboldened our drive.”
