GUNMEN have attacked a police checkpoint at Ajali, Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State.
The Police Public Relations Officer for the Anambra State Police Command, Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed this in a statement on Friday.
Ikenga, a Superintendent of Police, said two security operatives sustained gunshot injuries in a gun duel and were receiving medical treatment.
He identified the victims as police personnel and a member of the Anambra State Vigilante Group.
“During the gun duel, one police personnel and one AVG Operative sustained gunshot injuries and are currently responding to treatment in a hospital,” he said.
“Unfortunately, the two operational vehicles belonging to the AVG were caught up in fire and razed down completely.”
According to the statement, the gunmen were intercepted on Thursday on the Umuchu- Amesi-Uga Road.
Recovered from them was one branded blue Hilux vehicle, suspected to have been snatched from an unsuspecting member of the public
“During search conducted in the vehicle, coolers for food preservation were found. The Armed men were trailed after Police operatives resisted an attack on a Police Checkpoint at Ajali, Orumba North Local Government Area,” the police spokesman added.
He stated that joint operations are still ongoing in the area and further developments would be communicated.
Anambra is one of the South-Eastern states that have been witnessing series of attacks by gunmen suspected to be Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed affiliate, the Eastern Security Network (ESN).
Other states are Abia, Imo, Enugu and Ebonyi.
Despite the presence of security operatives, the gunmen have continued to launch attacks as well as declare sit-at-home order on Mondays that have made the region lose billions of naira.
It is however not clear if the latest attack in Anambra was carried out by IPOB/ESN.