Five police officers declared missing in Rivers state
Adetokunbo Fakeye
Five Nigeria police officers have been declared missing during an ambush by some gunmen in Okujagu community, Okrika local government area of Rivers state.
This was revealed in a statement by the Rivers command police spokesperson, Ahmad Muhammad.
According to the statement, the officers alongside their colleagues were involved in an ambush on Wednesday, May 25.
It reads inter alia: “The policemen went to Okujagu community on a routine police inquiry when they were ambushed by unknown gunmen before they could disembark from the boat that ferried them, they were bombarded with a barrage of heavy gunfire which forced them to scamper for cover and by the time the firing ended.
“Six police officers including two inspectors and four other rank and file were earlier unaccounted for.
“But a day after Inspector Aferuan Imoukhuede who was among the
missing policemen was rescued”.
The statement further stated that various operations by the Rivers state command is under way to ensure the rescue of the remaining missing officers.
53 suspects were said to have been arrested in connection with the incident in Okrika and are currently being interrogated.
“The commissioner of police has set up a high powered investigative panel headed by the deputy commissioner of police, Investigation Department to unravel the circumstances surrounding the entire incident”, the statement concluded.