The Anambra State Police Command says it has arrested two suspects in connection with Tuesday’s attack on a convoy of US Consulate officials along the Atani/Osamela Road in the Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State.
The embassy officials, who were on a humanitarian mission in the state came under fire while they were passing through the area.
The attack, according to the police, led to the death of three US consulate officials, who are Nigerians, as well as four policemen accompanying the convoy.
The Commissioner of Police in Anambra, Echeng Echeng, at a press conference in Awka on Thursday, said two suspects were arrested after a joint operation by the police, the Army and the Navy.
Echeng said, “As you are probably aware, a team of officials from the Lagos Consulate of the United States of America and their police escorts were ambushed on May 16, 2023, between 12:00hours and 14:00hours, along, Atani/Osamela Road in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State by suspected Eastern Security Network and Indigenous People of Biafra.
“Information about the incident was received by the Anambra State Police Command, through an official of the consulate, at about 14:30hours. Consequently, a joint team of Mobile Policemen and troops of the Nigerian Navy stationed in Onitsha was immediately deployed in the area.
“Upon arrival at the scene of the incident, the joint security team sighted and engaged the assailants in a shoot-out but they escaped through a nearby forest.
“On May 17, 2023, joint security forces comprising police tactical teams from the command and troops of the Nigerian Army as well as the Nigerian Navy raided a camp in Ugwuaneocha community of Ogbaru LG, which was suspected to be the hideout of the assailants, but discovered that it had been deserted.
“Two persons of interest were arrested and they are currently assisting the police in the investigation. The criminal camp was razed down by the joint security team.
“The preliminary investigation conducted by the command, following the incident, revealed that five male officials of the US consulate and four armed Mobile Police escorted from Lagos on a mission to assess the impact of erosion in the Ogbaru LG were travelling in a convoy of two vehicles when they suddenly came under attack by armed men who targeted them with gunfire and set their vehicles ablaze.”
“Regrettably, seven persons (including three of the consulate officials and four mobile police escorts) were murdered during the attack while two other officials of the consulate are yet to be found.
“Information from the USAID authority disclosed that five of their staff and four policemen involved in the attack are Jefferson Obayuwane (a retired DSS personnel), Sunday Prince Ubong, Ekene Nweke, Hassan Etila and Avwuvie Kaye Monday.”
The CP said the remains of the deceased had been recovered and deposited in a morgue while the state police command and other security agencies were working round-the-clock, in concert with the Government of Anambra State, to find and rescue the missing officials.
He, therefore called on members of the public who could provide information about the identities and locations of the culprits, to kindly assist the police with such information timeously.
“May I assure you all of the resolve and determination of the command and other security agencies to track down the perpetrators of these heinous crimes and bring them to justice,” Echeng added.
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