A police officer and an operative of the Anambra Vigilante Group have sustained varying degrees of injuries during a gun battle with some yet-to-be-identified assailants at a police checkpoint in the Ajali community, in the Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State.
Chronicle NG gathered that the armed hoodlums opened fire on the police operatives when they discovered that they had been trailed towards the checkpoint.
The criminals had allegedly snatched a vehicle, including other items from some members of the public, before they attacked the officers.
Eyewitnesses resident in the area stated the incident occurred late on Thursday, leading to several gunshots that ensued for several minutes in the community.
Although no life was lost, sources revealed that two vehicles belonging to the security operatives were burnt by the criminals.
A resident of the area who spoke on the condition of anonymity said, “The incident occurred along the Umuchu-Amesi-Uga Road. The armed hoodlums boldly came down from their vehicle and began exchanging gunfire with the security men when they discovered that they had been trailed.
“In the process, they burnt two security vehicles belonging to the Umuchu vigilante; the hoodlums had earlier burnt one vehicle in the area, making it three within almost a week.
“During the fierce gun battle, some of the security operatives sustained bullet injuries. But the local vigilante operatives fought back, which led to the unknown gunmen abandoning their Toyota Hilux vehicle and escaping because one of the police officers fired and deflated the tire.”
The resident criticised the recent activities of hoodlums in the region, which he claimed have raised safety worries as the Christmas holiday approaches.
SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the state police command spokesman, confirmed the event in a statement on Friday, saying the injured security personnel were brought to the hospital and were being treated.
Ikenga said, “In the late hours of Thursday, December 5, 2024, the Anambra State Joint Security Team intercepted armed men sighted on Umuchu-Amesi-Uga Road and recovered one branded blue Hilux vehicle with plate number GDD 440 TJ, a car suspected to have been snatched from an unsuspecting member of the public.
“During a 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.
“During the gun duel, one police personnel and one AVG operative sustained gunshot injuries and are currently responding to treatment in a hospital. Unfortunately, the two operational vehicles belonging to the AVG were caught up in fire and razed down completely.”
