ISUOFIA, Anambra State – Tension gripped residents of Isuofia in the Aguata Local Government Area on Thursday night as suspected armed hoodlums launched a violent attack on a police checkpoint, resulting in a deadly shootout that left two attackers dead and a police officer fatally injured.
The gun battle, which reportedly lasted for several hours, erupted after the hoodlums, said to be in large numbers, emerged from a nearby bush where they had been lying in wait to ambush the checkpoint and other potential targets in the area.
According to local sources, the attack began suddenly, with heavy gunfire exchanged between the assailants and the joint security operatives stationed at the checkpoint. The intensity of the shootout plunged the entire community into panic, with many residents fleeing their homes in search of safety.
“The hoodlums stormed the area from the bush under the cover of darkness and opened fire on the police checkpoint,” a community leader told City Round on Friday. “The police responded quickly and there was heavy gunfire that continued for quite a long time. The hoodlums tried to overwhelm the officers but were met with stiff resistance.”
Eyewitnesses reported that the assailants set an operational police vehicle ablaze during the confrontation. Despite the chaos, security operatives managed to repel the attackers, killing two of them in the process. However, one police officer sustained fatal injuries during the encounter.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Anambra State Police Command, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, said the attackers were successfully repelled by a joint security team deployed in the area. He stated that the hoodlums were overwhelmed by the superior firepower of the police and were forced to retreat.
“During the exchange of gunfire, two of the attackers were neutralised,” Ikenga confirmed. “Regrettably, one of our operatives was fatally injured and a police operational vehicle was set ablaze. The criminals, upon realizing they were overpowered, abandoned a Toyota Sienna van and fled the scene.”
He added that the Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, CP Ikioye Orutugu, had condemned the attack, describing it as a cowardly assault on law enforcement and an affront to the collective resolve of Ndi Anambra to eliminate criminal elements from the state.
“The Commissioner has assured residents that normalcy has been restored to the area,” Ikenga said. “Additional security personnel have been deployed to maintain peace, and efforts are ongoing to apprehend the fleeing attackers.”
The latest assault underscores the continuing threat posed by armed criminal groups in southeastern Nigeria, where police checkpoints have frequently been targeted in recent months.
Authorities say investigations are ongoing to uncover the identities of the attackers and their possible affiliations.
Residents of Isuofia have been urged to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious activities to the nearest security agency.
