The Anambra State Government has pledged to track down and bring to justice armed men who ambushed a convoy linked to the Chief of Staff to Governor Chukwuma Soludo, resulting in the deaths of two policemen and two civilians.
The attack occurred on Sunday night along the Amansea–Awa–Ufuma Road in Orumba North Local Government Area, when the convoy was returning from an official assignment in Awka.
The Chief of Staff, Chief Ben Nwankwo, who had represented the governor at an event, reportedly escaped the assault unhurt. However, several other occupants, including civilians, sustained injuries during the exchange of gunfire that lasted for several minutes.
Eyewitnesses said the attackers, who were allegedly hiding in a nearby bush, opened fire on the convoy as it approached the area, causing panic and chaos along the route.
Confirming the incident in a statement on Tuesday, the Commissioner for Information and Value Orientation, Law Mefor, said the government was deeply shocked by the attack and extended condolences to the families of those killed.
He said security agencies had already been deployed to investigate the incident and ensure those responsible are apprehended and prosecuted.
According to the statement, the assault took place between 8pm and 9pm at the Orumba North–Awka South boundary while the convoy was returning from official duty.
The government described the incident as not just an attack on an individual, but an assault on the peace and security of the entire state.
It stressed that four lives were lost in the incident and assured that justice would be pursued without compromise.
The statement further expressed sympathy to the bereaved families, noting that the state shares in their grief and pain.
Security agencies, according to the government, have intensified efforts to identify and arrest the perpetrators of what it described as a “heinous act.”
It also reassured residents that the incident would not derail ongoing security efforts, adding that Anambra remains committed to eliminating criminal activities despite the setback.
Authorities maintained that the attack is an isolated case and will not weaken the state’s resolve to sustain peace and security across all communities.