Gunmen have reportedly killed an unspecified number of policemen and three Customs Officers at various checkpoints in Rivers State.
The incident occurred on Saturday night between Omagwa -Isiokpo – Elele communities in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers state, along the Port Harcourt – Owerri road.
In a statement issued yesterday, the River State Police Command confirmed the attack on the security personnel but did not say if any officer was killed.
According to the statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer in Rivers State, Superintendent of Police Nnamdi Omoni, the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Eboka Friday “has launched a full-scale investigation into the dastardly attack with a view to arresting the perpetrators and bringing them to justice.”
The Police added that so far, the “area is calm with reinforced and increased joint Patrols on that stretch and other areas in the state by the security agencies.”
The police further reassured that all parts of Rivers state are calm, safe, and secure.
Confirming the killing of the Customs officers, the spokesperson for Zone C, Custom’s Federal Operations Unit, Mr. Jerry Atta, said three Customs personnel were killed by the gunmen in Rivers State.
He explained that the officers were attacked by armed men on Saturday night at a patrol base in Isiokpo – the headquarters of Ikwerre Local Government Area of the state.
The zonal spokesman added that after killing the security operatives, the gunmen went away with an Ak-47 rifle and two Toyota Hilux vans belonging to the service.
He noted that a thorough investigation would be carried out to unravel the circumstances that led to the attack and to unravel the motive of the assailants.
Atta blamed the killing of the security operatives on armed smugglers whose businesses have been frustrated by the customs in recent times.
