Ebonyi State Police Command has confirmed the killing of a police officer by hoodlums who attacked the Ishieke junction police checkpoint at 7:15am yesterday.
In a statement signed by the police public relations officer, DSP Joshua Ukandu said the hoodlums operated in an ash colour Sienna vehicle.
Ukandu said the hoodlums shot sporadically at the officers, who engaged them fiercely and were able to repel them, adding however that one of the officers was fatally wounded and a patrol vehicle set ablaze.
He said that on receiving the information, the commissioner of police immediately deployed police operatives to the scene, and they are on the trail of the hoodlums.
“Meanwhile, calm and normalcy has been restored to the area.
“The CP is using this medium to call on well-meaning individuals in the state to avail the command with useful information that will aid in apprehending the fleeing hoodlums while noting that the command remains resolute in its fight against crime and criminality and protection of lives and properties,” he said.
It would be recalled that three weeks ago at about 5 am, four police operatives and two civilians were also shot dead by yet to be identified gunmen at hilltop stop and search/pin-down point along Nwofe Road, at the outskirts of Abakaliki.
Ukandu said that the officers were attacked by armed hoodlums suspected to be members of the proscribed IPOB/ESN who shot sporadically at the operatives.