Gunmen kill Anambra policeman, kidnap vigilante boss

Gunmen have killed a policeman and dispossessed him of his rifle at Ogidi community in the Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State.

PUNCH Metro gathered that the gunmen, on Sunday, stationed themselves close to the Ogidi town hall, where some policemen usually mounted a checkpoint.

A source said the assailants waited for the policemen.

He said, “The assailants hid at a corner for a long time, waiting, until they sighted one of the policemen, whom they shot dead and dispossessed of his AK-47 rifle before they fled.”

The state police spokesperson, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, while confirming the incident, said there was a gun duel between the policemen and some hoodlums, which led to the death of one of the cops.

He said, “Information before me states that on May 29, 2022, some police operatives on observation patrol along Abatete Expressway, Ogidi, engaged some armed hoodlums.

“Unfortunately, during the gun duel, one of the police operatives was fatally wounded and due to the superior fire of the police, the gunmen fled the scene.”

Ikenga, however, said operation at the scene was still ongoing and patrol had been intensified in the area.

He promised that further development would be communicated.

In a related development, hoodlums numbering about four kidnapped the chairman of the vigilantes in Ukwulu community, Mr Kachy Ilodigwe.

It was gathered that Ilodigwe was returning from a function when the armed men cornered him with their car and whisked him off.

A source said, “They pointed a gun at him, shot into the air and put him into their car.”

The state police spokesperson, Ikenga, said he did not have any information on the incident as of the time of filing this report.