Two Police Officers Killed as Gunmen Attack Patrol Team in Enugu
Two police officers have been confirmed dead following an attack on a Police Distress Response Squad (DRS) team along Agbani Road, Enugu, on the night of January 15, 2026, the Enugu State Police Command has said.
In a statement issued on Friday, by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Daniel Ndukwe, the Police disclosed that the operatives came under unprovoked gunfire from suspected IPOB/ESN criminal elements while on duty. The police team was said to have responded promptly, forcing the attackers to flee with varying degrees of gunshot injuries.
During the exchange, the operational vehicle conveying the officers caught fire, while two members of the team sustained severe gunshot wounds. They were rushed to a hospital for urgent medical attention but were later pronounced dead by medical personnel.
Reacting to the incident, the Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa, ordered tactical and intelligence units of the Command to intensify the ongoing manhunt for the assailants. He directed operatives to deploy all available resources and leverage actionable intelligence to sustain the trail of the fleeing suspects and ensure their arrest.
The police also announced the recovery of a Lexus RX 330 SUV allegedly snatched from its owner by the attackers and used during the assault. According to the Command, the vehicle was recovered with multiple bullet holes, believed to have been inflicted during the gun duel with the police.
CP Giwa appealed to members of the public to assist security agencies with credible information that could lead to the arrest of those responsible. He assured residents that the Command remains resolute in its commitment to ensuring that violent and subversive criminal elements are brought to justice and do not evade the law.
The Enugu State Police Command reiterated its determination to maintain public safety and urged citizens to continue to cooperate with law enforcement agencies as investigations and operations to apprehend the suspects continue.
EDITOR
Sam Udekwe is a journalist working in the News and Current Affairs department, Enugu State Broadcasting Service (ESBS) Enugu. He is well trained in all genres of journalistic venture.
Mr Sam read Mass Communication, graduating all with Distinction in National Diploma, Higher National Diploma and Postgraduate Diploma at IMT, Enugu and Madonna University, Okija, Anambra state, as well as M.Sc Mass Communication with Second Class(Upper Division) at National Open University of Nigeria.
He is the immediate past NUJ Chairman, Enugu state.
samowailo@gmail.com
