Unknown Gunmen on Friday afternoon attacked advanced party security personnel of Delta State Governor and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP vice presidential candidate, Ifeanyi Okowa at Ubuluisiuzor community along the most dangerous Ihiala-Orlu road in the Ihiala local government area of Anambra State.
The primary school close to Catholic Church where the attack occured at Ubuluisiuzor is less than two poles to Ihiala main town.
Residents said bodies of the three security operatives killed were retrieved by the combined team of soldiers and other security operatives shortly after the attack. Adding, the lifeless bodies were seen in one of the security vehicles used for reinforcement.
It was gathered that Governor Okowa security details may have plied Ihiala-Orlu road without seeking proper security information.
Residents said most commercial vehicles including private road users who understand the Ihiala-Orlu road terrain have stopped plying the road nearly a year ago.
Sources said the Ihiala-Orlu road leads to several well fortified Unknown Gunmen camps and the armed group always monitor users of the road, see any security personnel as a spy hence they always attack and take possession of their guns.
We learnt the attack occured around 1:30 pm with the three policemen from the department of Explosive Ordinance Device, (EoD) from the Delta State Police Command, attached to the state government house, Asaba, killed by the Unknown gunmen suspected to be Biafra secessionist armed group.
The names of the three deceased police officers were reportedly stated as Inspectors Lucky Aleh, Celestine Nwadiokwu and Jude Obuh.
“Four officers were in the vehicle but one was on mufti (not on uniform) so he was freed while the three in uniform were killed. The Escort commander from the Government House, Asaba, was sent to bring their corpses and deposit in a mortuary in Asaba,” a Government House source reportedly said.
“We were on the road along Orlu road in Ihiala town towards the boundary of Imo and Anambra when we heard heavy gunshots and people began to run into the bush for safety.
Adding, “While we were in the bush, the shooting continued for about two hours only for us to discover that the gunmen left behind three lifeless bodies on the road.
“The joint security task force later came to the scene of the incident but they couldn’t do anything because the gunmen had gone to an unknown destination,” the source added.
