The Anambra State Police Command says its operatives have neutralised two suspected kidnappers and armed robbers during a gun battle along the Eziowelle Road in Idemili North Local Government Area.
The operation followed credible intelligence received by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad, Awkuzu, about the activities of suspected kidnappers and armed robbers operating along the area.
The police team reportedly mobilised to the location and encountered the suspects. According to the command, the suspects opened fire while attempting to escape, leading to a gun battle.
Two of the suspects sustained fatal gunshot injuries during the encounter, while other members of the group reportedly escaped with varying degrees of gunshot wounds.
Recovered from the scene were one AK-47 rifle with a magazine containing four live rounds, one pump-action gun and five live cartridges.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, CP Nnanna Oji Ama, has intervened in a separate incident involving the shooting of a middle-aged medicine trader by a police officer at Ogbogwu, near the Onitsha Head Bridge.
The incident reportedly sparked a protest by traders and passers-by, resulting in the temporary blockade of the Onitsha-Asaba Expressway and disruption of vehicular and pedestrian movement.
According to an eyewitness account cited in reports, the incident occurred after the police officer allegedly attempted to stop the trader for a search and possible arrest. The eyewitness claimed the trader did not realise that the person flagging him down was a police officer and failed to stop.
The trader was reportedly shot in the leg, while his wares were allegedly damaged, triggering an angry reaction from traders and other residents.
CP Oji Ama visited the area and appealed for calm, assuring the affected community that the circumstances surrounding the shooting would be thoroughly investigated and that justice would be served.
The Commissioner also visited the victims at a hospital, where he expressed concern over their condition and assured them of the command’s support.
He ordered a thorough and impartial investigation into the incident and pledged to personally ensure that the victims’ medical expenses are covered.
The command urged residents to remain calm and avoid actions capable of escalating tensions, while assuring the public that appropriate action would be taken based on the outcome of the investigation.
