The Anambra State Police Command has refuted claims of the killing of some United States citizens in the state. In a statement released on Tuesday in Onitsha, the command spokesman, Tochukwu Ikenga, stated that no U.S citizen was in the convoy attacked by gunmen.
The attack which took place in Ogbaru Local Government Area of the state saw the gunmen open fire on the convoy of staff of the U.S Consulate. However, Mr Ikenga, a deputy superintendent of police, clarified that two mobile policemen and two staff members of the U.S Consulate on the convoy were killed and their bodies and vehicles set on fire.
According to him, a Joint Security Force has commenced a rescue and recovery operation to track and apprehend the gunmen.
“Following an attack on a convoy of staff of the U.S Consulate around 3:30 p. m. along Atani, Osamale road. The hoodlums murdered two of the PMF operatives, and two staff of the Consulate, and set their bodies ablaze and their vehicles,” he said.
He further stated that “the arsonist/murderers on sighting the responding joint security forces abducted two police operatives, the driver of the second vehicle, and took to their heels. No U.S citizen was in the convoy.”
While the command was concerned that such officials would visit the state without recourse to the police or any security agency, Ikenga assured the public that the fight against insurgency in the state would be sustained until stability is fully restored.
The incident has been condemned by the Nigerian government, and all hands are on deck to track down the perpetrators of the heinous act.
