Rivers State Police Command in Nigeria, has confirmed the death of seven officers during attacks by gunmen in the state on Friday night May 7.
In a statement released on Saturday May 8, the spokesperson of the state police command, Nnamdi Omoni, described the killing as ‘unprovoked and mindless’.
According to Omoni, the gunmen who drove in two branded Hilux vans, attacked the special checkpoint at Choba bridge, in the Ikwere Local Government Area where two Policemen on duty were killed in a surprise attack and a private car belonging to one of the policemen set ablaze.
The gunmen then killed two more officers and set fire to a patrol car at Rumuji police station, Omoni added. Police fired back there and killed two of the attackers, he said.
The remaining assailants then hit Elimgbu police station, killing three officers before fleeing under fire from police, the statement added. The men escaped “with various degrees of gunshot wounds” in a stolen car, Omoni said.
The attackers stole five assault rifles, and police had launched a manhunt, he added.
Omoni said in all three attacks carried out last night, no Police Station/formation was burnt but that a total of five assault rifles were lost in the incident.
He enjoined the residents of the state to increase their security consciousness and report any person or persons with gun wounds to the nearest Police Station or call the following numbers 08032003514 or 08098880134.