Residents and indigenes of Ugwu-Abba, Asaga, Ohafia in Ohafia Local Government Area of Abia State are said to be on the run following the attack, injuring one and killing another policeman from the Abia State Command of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), who were on a stop and search operation with members of their team.

Gunmen on Wednesday attacked policemen in Ohafia Local Government Area of Abia State.

While an account has it that two policemen were killed in the attack, another account has it that the gunmen succeeded in killing one, leaving the other with several bullet wounds.

Our correspondent gathered that the gunmen were said to have attacked the policemen at a checkpoint in the area.

The incident, our correspondent gathered, has caused panic in the agrarian community as members of the community were said to be leaving in droves over potential reprisal or massive arrest by the police.

No group has claimed responsibility, but a source within the security agencies in the state, however, disclosed that they suspected that the heinous crime could have been committed by the members of the Eastern Security Network (ESN), the security arm of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

The attack on the policemen in Ohafia is coming days after unknown gunmen attacked policemen at their stop and search location on the Enugu-Aba-Port Harcourt Expressway, the military checkpoint at Ekenobizi Umuopara flank of the Onuimo Bridge, boundary between Abia and Imo State; and the attack on the convoy of the lawmaker representing Isiala Ngwa North and South Federal Constituency along Old Umuahia in Umuahia South Local Government Area of the state.

The governor of the state blamed the opposition politicians in the state for the spate of attacks, he vowed to expose those responsible, vowing to ensure that the crime is nipped in the bud.

Residents of the state have called on Governor Otti and heads of security agencies in the state to rise to the occasion in tackling the rising insecurity in the state, adding that if things didn’t change, it could affect the businesses in the state and may scare away people from visiting the state and their communities, especially during this yuletide.

Our correspondent, however, gathered that indigenes and residents of Ugwu-Abba Asaga, Ohafia have since left their village in droves in an attempt to avoid being arrested by the police or security agencies.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in Abia State, CP Danladi Isa is leading other officers of the Command in chasing after the gunmen who attacked a police team in Asaga, Ohafia Local Government Area of the state.

Danladi, who led a team of the NPF personnel of the command to Ohafia,expressed sadness over the death of his men.

The state police boss disclosed that the hoodlums were unable to withstand the firepower of the police officers; the reason they fled the scene after their attack was repelled by the police team.

The CP disclosed that ASP Etim Obungha was successfully rescued unhurt, but Corporal Chukwu Odoemelam, who sustained a bullet injury during the attack, was promptly rushed to the hospital and is currently responding to treatment.

He disclosed that the body of ASP Etet Uboulo who did not survive the earlier attack was recovered.

According to him, in the course of the operation, some exhibits were recovered from the crime scene, and the investigation, he said, was ongoing with the view to tracking down the hoodlums.

“Watertight security measures have been emplacedas tactical teams, operatives from Ohafia Area Command in collaboration with the army component from 14 Brigade, Ohafia are currently on patrol in the area.”

CP Danladi assured the good people of Abia State that the perpetrators of this heinous crime would be apprehended to face justice. (The Nation)