Police vow to track down gunmen who set vigilante operative ablaze

Police vow to track down gunmen who set vigilante operative ablaze

Some gunmen on Thursday attacked a security facility and killed a vigilante operative in Anambra State.

The Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, Aderemi Adeoye, has vowed that the police will track down gunmen who attacked the office of Anambra State Vigilante Group in the state.

The police spokesperson in the state, Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed this in a statement which was forwarded toour correspondent on Sunday.

Our correspondent reported how some gunmen on Thursday attacked the security facility in Amichi, a community in Nnewi South Local Government Area of the South-eastern state.

A yet-to-be-identified man was set ablaze by the gunmen during the attack which lasted for about an hour.

The victim, suspected to be a vigilante operative, was shot while he was hiding from flying bullets, residents told this newspaper.

The gunmen razed a section of the security facility and a Sienna vehicle belonging to the vigilante operatives, a video clip apparently shot shortly after the attack showed.

Police speak

Mr Ikenga, a superintendent of police, confirmed in the statement that the man set ablaze by the hoodlums was a vigilante operative.

The spokesperson said the police commissioner condoled with the people of the community on the loss of the vigilante operative during the attack.

Mr Adeoye, according to the statement, commended the Anambra State Vigilante Group across the state for their commitment to the security of residents of the state and assured that the police would work hard to protect them.

“The commissioner of police has also directed Police Tactical Teams and Special Forces across the state to respond promptly to all distress calls from vigilante groups anytime they come under attack,” the statement said.

The commissioner said efforts were already ongoing to “identify and smash” the hoodlums that carried out the attack.