Gunmen launched an attack on a joint police patrol team along the Abatete–Eziowelle Road in Idemili North, Anambra State, on Wednesday, triggering widespread panic as officers exchanged gunfire with the assailants. Witnesses said the attackers, dressed in what appeared to be military and police uniforms, ambushed operatives from the Department of Operations in Awka and the Special Anti-Cultism Squad during routine surveillance.
The attackers, reportedly moving in a convoy that included a white Toyota Hummer bus, a black Lexus 350 SUV, and a white Toyota Highlander, opened heavy fire on the officers. A police patrol vehicle belonging to the Special Anti-Cultism Squad was set ablaze after being struck by bullets, while a DOPS patrol pickup was also badly damaged. Videos shared online show one of the vehicles engulfed in flames as residents fled the area. One police officer was injured during the confrontation.
The spokesperson for the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident, explaining that the armed group was intercepted along the Eziowelle axis and was eventually repelled after a sustained gun battle. He noted that no civilian casualties were recorded.
Ikenga said the Commissioner of Police has ordered immediate reinforcement of security across the state, with all divisions and patrol units placed on heightened alert. He urged residents to remain calm, go about their normal activities, and report any suspicious movements to the authorities.
The state has recorded similar incidents in recent months. In July, two people were killed during a confrontation between security forces and armed hoodlums at Oko and the Ekwulobia flyover. A vigilante vehicle was burnt, and several weapons and vehicles were recovered. According to the police, a criminal gang had stormed the area, shooting indiscriminately and dispossessing residents of their belongings before security teams moved in to restore order.
