The lawmaker, representing Ohaukwu North constituency in the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Chinedu Awo, has been attacked by gunmen on his way to his hometown Effium Community in the Ohaukwu Local Government Area of the state.
The Ebonyi State Police Command’s spokesman, DSP Loveth Odah, told journalists in Abakaliki on Monday that two police personnel were also abducted during the attack.
The policemen were in the company of the lawmaker, when they were abducted on Sunday.
The spokesperson noted that on November 28, 2021, at about 2pm, Awo accompanied police operatives who were returning from investigation activities in connection with the three missing engineers, abducted in the same area on November 3.
“Awo accompanied the operatives to enable him to dialogue with the warriors at Igbuduoke village in Effium/Ezza clan ‘the warring community’ in Ohaukwu Local Government Area; they were ambushed by armed Ezza warriors numbering over 60.
“The operatives gallantly fought back, resulting in heavy casualties on the side of the attackers.
“However, DSP Bruno Chukwu and two others sustained bullet wounds and are currently in hospital responding to treatment. The two police officers by name; Sergeant Donatus Osugwu, and Sergeant Thaddeus Ugoeze, are suspected to have been abducted by the hoodlums,” Odah explained.
She explained that the Commissioner of Police in Ebonyi, Mr Aliyu Garba, had led a team on reinforcement at the scene.
“They have cordoned the forest and searched the village but could not see the missing officers or the perpetrators. Efforts are in top gear to ensure the perpetrators are tracked down and arrested,” she said.
