By CHARLES IWUOHA

The Ebonyi state police command has confirmed the killing of four personnel by unknown armed hoodlums suspected to be IPOB/ ESN in the early hours of Friday.

Police Public Relations officer PPRO), DSP Joshua Ukandu, who confirmed the incident in a statement he issued on Friday evening at 4:50Pm.

The statement reads In part: “Today 08/03/2024 at about 05:00am, operatives of the Command who were posted to duty at hilltop stop and search/pin-down point along Nwofe Road, at the outskirts of Abakaliki, were attacked by armed hoodlums suspected to be IPOB/ESN members, who shot sporadically at the operatives.

“The operatives engaged the hoodlums in a fierce gun duel, and in the ensuing gun battle, the hoodlums scampered and abandoned a pump action rifle which was recovered.

“However, four (4) of the operatives paid the supreme price, while two (2) civilians were caught in the crossfire and killed.”

According to the statement, the Commissioner of Police Ebonyi State Police Command, CP Augustina Ogbodo, swiftly dispatched tactical teams of the command to the scene, who are on the trail of the fleeing hoodlums.

Ogbodo, according to Ukandu, has called on the good citizens of the state to provide the command with valuable information that could help apprehend the fleeing hoodlums and assured that the command remains steadfastly dedicated to safeguarding lives and properties in the state.