The Anambra State Police Command has intensified efforts to track down armed men responsible for the killing of two police officers ambushed along the Amansea–Ndiora–Ndiukwuenu–Awa–Ufuma axis in Orumba South Local Government Area of the state.
The directive for a full-scale manhunt was issued on Monday by the Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, during an emergency security briefing held at the command headquarters in Awka.
During the meeting, Orutugu charged senior officers and tactical units to urgently pursue the attackers and ensure they are brought to justice.
Security sources said the officers were attacked on Sunday night while returning from an official assignment as part of a convoy operation. The assailants reportedly laid an ambush along a bush path and opened fire on the team as they approached the area.
It was also gathered that the convoy included Chief of Staff to Governor Chukwuma Soludo, Chief Ben Nwankwo, who had attended an official engagement on behalf of the governor and was heading back to Awka at the time of the incident.
Although the Chief of Staff escaped unhurt, some persons in the convoy sustained injuries during the prolonged exchange of gunfire.
Eyewitness accounts described how the attackers, positioned in a concealed bush, opened fire suddenly, throwing the surrounding communities into panic.
A tricycle operator who witnessed the incident said he abandoned his vehicle and fled for safety after hearing heavy gunshots while passing through the area.
According to him, he later returned to the scene after the shooting subsided and discovered the lifeless bodies of two police officers beside their patrol van.
The incident was also captured in a video circulating online, showing the officers lying in a pool of blood near their vehicle, with bystanders calling for urgent intervention.
Confirming the attack, CP Orutugu said investigations had already commenced and assured that the command was closing in on the perpetrators.
He described the killing as a “heinous act” and vowed that the police would not rest until those responsible were apprehended.
The police chief also announced what he called “Operation Fish Them Out,” aimed at dismantling criminal elements operating within the state, especially along isolated routes.
He warned members of the public to be cautious, noting intelligence reports suggesting that some criminals now operate while disguised in police or military uniforms.
Orutugu further advised commuters to exercise vigilance when using the Amansea–Ufuma road, describing it as a secluded corridor increasingly exploited by armed groups.
Despite the attack, he assured residents that the command remained fully committed to restoring security and maintaining dominance over criminal activities in the state.
He expressed confidence that significant breakthroughs would be achieved within a short time as investigations continue.