Mathew Amaechi
Joint security forces shot and killed two armed suspects after they launched a coordinated attack on a police checkpoint in Isuofia, Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State.
A community leader confirmed on Friday that the assailants, estimated to be operating in significant numbers, had positioned themselves in a nearby bush under cover of darkness before striking the checkpoint. As gunfire rang out for several tense hours, residents fled their homes in fear.
“The hoodlums entered the community Thursday evening and lay in wait,” the source said. “They struck without warning, aiming to overrun the checkpoint and target other locations, but the police held their ground.”
According to the Anambra State Police Command, one officer was fatally wounded during the exchange, and one of the security vehicles was set ablaze by the attackers. By the end of the firefight, two of the gunmen lay dead while the remaining suspects fled, abandoning a Toyota Sienna at the scene.
Police spokesman Tochukwu Ikenga confirmed the details in a statement on Friday. He said Commissioner of Police Ikioye Orutugu has condemned the incident as a direct challenge to the people of Anambra and urged residents to continue supporting security efforts.
“One of our joint security teams resisted an attack late on May 15, 2025, at the Isuofia checkpoint,” Ikenga said. “Two of the hoodlums were neutralised; tragically, one of our officers lost his life and an operational vehicle was destroyed. The criminals fled, leaving their vehicle behind.”
Ikenga added that normalcy has since returned to the area and that security operatives are combing local bushes in pursuit of the remaining suspects. He assured the public that those responsible will be brought to justice and reiterated the command’s commitment to rooting out criminal elements in the state.