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From Jude Chinedu, Enugu
Gunmen on Thursday night attacked a police checkpoint around the Police College area, along Agbani Road, Enugu, killing police officers and setting an operational vehicle ablaze, triggering panic among residents of the area.
Eyewitnesses said the attack occurred at about 8:42 p.m., when the assailants arrived in a coordinated manner and opened sustained gunfire on officers manning the checkpoint.
An eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, claimed that at least four policemen were killed during the attack.
“The shooting was intense and lasted for several minutes. Afterward, their vehicle and other items were set ablaze. People were afraid to come out,” the source said, adding that residents fled the area for safety amid the sporadic gunfire. The Enugu State Police Command, in an official statement issued yesterday, confirmed the death of two police officers.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Daniel Ndukwe, in a statement said, the attack was targeted at the Police Distress Response Squad (DRS) team along Agbani Road on the night of January 15, 2026.
The police disclosed that during the exchange of gunfire, the team’s operational vehicle caught fire, while two officers sustained severe gunshot injuries and were rushed to hospital, where they were later confirmed dead.
The Commissioner of Police, Enugu State Command, Mamman Giwa, described the attackers as suspected IPOB/ESN subversive criminal elements and ordered an intensified manhunt to track down the fleeing suspects, and charged the tactical and intelligence operatives to deploy all available resources and leverage actionable intelligence to ensure that the assailants are arrested and brought to justice.
