The Enugu State Police Command has launched a manhunt for the driver and conductor of a Mitsubishi L300 commercial bus over the alleged attempted murder of police officers and the temporary snatching of an AK-47 rifle during an attempted arrest.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Daniel Ndukwe, disclosed that the incident occurred at about 1:20 p.m. on July 9 at the All Saints Roundabout along Abakaliki Road, Enugu.
According to him, operatives of the Distress Response Squad (DRS) intercepted the commercial bus after receiving information that its driver and conductor had allegedly assaulted a traffic police officer on duty.
Ndukwe said the driver initially appeared to comply with the police directive to stop but suddenly accelerated in an attempt to evade arrest, knocking down one of the officers in the process.
He explained that the officer’s AK-47 rifle became entangled with the vehicle and was dragged away as the suspects fled the scene.
The police spokesperson said that during the ensuing chase, the suspects threw the rifle out of the vehicle at the IMT Bus Stop along Abakaliki Road before escaping. The firearm, along with its ammunition, was immediately recovered intact by the police.
The Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Mamman Giwa, has ordered a full-scale investigation into the incident and directed operatives to intensify efforts to apprehend the fleeing suspects.
He also urged the driver and conductor to voluntarily surrender to the police, warning that every lawful measure would be employed to ensure their arrest and prosecution.
