Gunmen attack Anambra health centre, kill policeman, injure others

Some gunmen on Wednesday attacked a health centre in Eziama-Uli, Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State, attacking patients who had gathered for medical outreach.

A source said the medical outreach was being organized by a group, Uli Global Ambassadors for Development Initiative (UlIGADI), and that patients who besieged the centre were already receiving treatment when the gunmen arrived.

The gunmen invaded the facility, shooting sporadically while patients who came for the exercise and the administrators scampered for safety, an eyewitness said.

An official of ULIGADI told journalists that one policeman was killed, a second policeman was found still breathing when the gunmen left, but a third was yet to be found.

He said: “I don’t have much to say at the moment but I will discuss with the chairman to advise the house.

“One officer died after the unfortunate incident. The second officer is at the hospital receiving medical attention.

“We are looking for the third officer who has since left Eziama. The recovery team are underway to rescue him from the community”

Meanwhile, a source told DAILY POST that the policemen attacked were from 19 Police Mobile Force (PMF). The dead policeman was identified as Inspector Ezekiel Aliyu while the name of the injured police officer was not ascertained, but said to have bullets lodged in most parts of his body, and was already recuperating in an undisclosed health facility.

Scores of persons, including patients were said to have sustained injuries from the attack, DAILY POST gathered.

When contacted, the spokesperson of the Anambra State Police Command, DSP Toochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident, saying that the command was already working to unravel the identity of the attackers.

He said: “What happened at Eziama Uli yesterday (Wednesday), is an example of the sacrifice we pay as Police Officers in service to the nation and humanity. The details of the incident are still sketchy but it involved police personnel providing security services.

“Police operatives have cordoned off the area and operation is ongoing. Further details shall be communicated.”