A devastating attack unfolded in Abia State when gunmen ambushed a police convoy in Ubakala, located in the Umuahia South Local Government Area. The incident resulted in the death of a police officer and severe injuries to another.
The tragedy took place around 9 p.m. on Sunday, November 17, reigniting concerns over escalating insecurity in the area.
The convoy, allegedly linked to a state federal lawmaker, was making its way without the lawmaker at the wheel when the attack ensued. According to police sources, the assailants, clad in black and wearing police uniforms, intercepted the convoy—a Toyota Corolla transporting two officers and the driver—and opened fire upon confirming the identities of the victims as law enforcement personnel.
In the ensuing gunfight, one officer was killed immediately, and another sustained critical injuries, raising fears about the fate of the second officer. The attackers fled as reinforcements from the Ubakala Police Division arrived on the scene.
This attack comes just four days after another violent incident in the state, where gunmen k!lled two soldiers at a checkpoint in Umuopara, near the Abia-Imo border, raising further concerns about security in the region.
At the time of this report, Abia State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Maureen Chinaka, had not yet released an official statement regarding the incident. Investigations are continuing as authorities work to bring the perpetrators to justice.
