By STANLEY NWANOSIKE

The Police Command in Enugu State has detained 13 male suspects for armed attack on its operatives at Akpakume community in Udi Local Government Area of the state.

The Command’s Spokesman, SP Daniel Ndukwe, in a statement on Wednesday in Enugu, said that police operatives recovered one locally made single-barreled gun in the community.

Ndukwe said the attack was carried out early hours of Nov. 3, as police operatives went to the community to arrest some suspected criminals.

“The police operatives had gone to effect arrest of suspects in connection with a case of conspiracy, unlawful possession of firearms and cultism.

“However, the suspects and their cohorts, who laid an ambush, suddenly opened fire on the police team, injuring some of the officers.

“The operatives swiftly responded with superior firepower, forcing many of the criminal elements to flee with varying degrees of severe gunshot injuries.

“The suspects’ gunfire shattered the light of the police operational vehicle and damaged other vehicles in the area (community),’’ he said.

Ndukwe said that the state’s Commissioner for Police, Mr Mamman Giwa, had visited the community and ordered intensified manhunt for fleeing assailants of police personnel on duty.

“In a follow-up development, the commissioner, on Nov. 4, led a team of senior officers to Akpakume community for an on-the-spot assessment of the damage caused by the suspects and others now on the run.

“It was observed that the hoodlums had willfully destroyed houses, shops and other property, including crops and livestock belonging to members of the community.

“Preliminary investigation has uncovered that the criminal acts are in furtherance of an existing intra-communal crisis in the area,” he said.

Ndukwe said that the commissioner had urged law-abiding residents to remain calm and continue to go about their lawful businesses.

“The command will stop at nothing to ensure that all those involved in the attack and other related criminal activities in the area (community) are brought to justice,” he assured. (NAN)