Sixty gunmen have attacked Chinedu Awo, Lawmaker, representing Ohaukwu North constituency in Ebonyi State House of Assembly and abducted two policeman.
Confirming the incident, the Spokesperson of the Police Command in the state, DSP Loveth Odah, told journalists in Abakaliki on Monday that two police personnel were also abducted during the attack.
The policemen were in the company of the lawmaker, who was on his way on Sunday to his hometown, Effium Community in Ohaukwu local Government Area of the state.
Effium community had been in communal crisis since January 2021.
The State Governor, David Umahi, on Nov. 26 placed on hold the construction work on the Effium axis of the Abakaliki ring road project.
The Governor’s order followed the abduction of five construction workers by suspected kidnappers on Nov. 3 in the area. The workers have not been seen since then.
According to the Police Spokesperson, on Nov. 28, 2021, at about 1340hrs, Awo accompanied by Police operatives was returning from investigation activities in connection with the three missing engineers, abducted in the area on Nov 3.
“Awo accompanied the operatives to enable him to dialogue with the warriors at Igbuduoke village in Effium/Ezza clan ‘the warring community’ in Ohaukwu Local Government Area; they were ambushed by armed Ezza warriors numbering over 60.
“The operatives gallantry fought back, resulting in heavy casualties on the side of the attackers.
“However, DSP Bruno Chukwu and two others sustained bullet wounds and are currently in hospital responding to treatment.
“The two Police officers by name: Sergeant Donatus Osugwu, and Sergeant Thaddeus Ugoeze, are suspected to have been abducted by the hoodlums,” Odah explained.
She explained that the Commissioner of Police in Ebonyi, Mr Aliyu Garba, had led a team on reinforcement at the scene.
“They have cordoned the forest and searched the village but could not see the missing officers nor the perpetrators.
“Efforts are in top gear to ensure the perpetrators are tracked down and arrested,” she said.
