Gunmen have once again struck in Abia State, killing two policemen at a checkpoint between Ebem and Asaga Ohafia in the Ohafia Local Government Area. The attack has sparked widespread panic in the affected communities.
Details of the incident remain unclear as of the time of filing this report, with the identities of the deceased officers yet to be confirmed. Efforts to reach the Abia State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Maureen Chilaka, for comments have been unsuccessful.
This latest attack comes just three days after another violent incident in Ubakala, the administrative headquarters of Umuahia South Local Government Area, where a police officer was killed, and another sustained injuries. That earlier attack targeted the convoy of Ginger Onwusibe, the member representing Isiala Ngwa North/South Federal Constituency at the National Assembly.
In a statement regarding the Ubakala attack, PPRO Chilaka explained that the officers involved were traveling in a police Toyota Hilux vehicle after escorting and dropping off Hon. Onwusibe in Umuahia. According to Chilaka, armed men dressed in black and operating in a Toyota Corolla with tinted windows intercepted the police vehicle and opened fire.
“Inspector Bala Mohammed sustained fatal gunshot wounds and died at the scene, while Inspector Dunna Jatau and the driver managed to escape,” the statement read.
The police authorities have yet to issue an official statement about the latest attack in Ohafia. However, the recurrence of such violent incidents has raised concerns about security in Abia State. Residents are urging the government and security agencies to intensify efforts to curb the alarming rise in attacks targeting law enforcement officers.
As the situation unfolds, heightened vigilance is being called for in the affected areas to prevent further escalation of violence. Security agencies are expected to launch a comprehensive investigation into the incident to apprehend those responsible.
