The masked gunmen abducted all the occupants of the vehicle including the police officer.
Gunmen suspected to be members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its militant arm, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), have struck in the Nnewi area of Anambra State, abducting a police officer among other victims and setting an operational vehicle ablaze.
SaharaReporters learnt that the police officer was abducted in front of St Mary Cathedral church, Nnewi while his Hilux vehicle was set ablaze – an incident which has caused tension in the area.
The police officer was abducted on Sunday and his whereabouts have yet to be known.
According to eyewitnesses, the masked gunmen abducted all the occupants of the vehicle including the police officer.
“On Sunday, a group of masked gunmen attacked a white hilux van in front of St. Mary’s Anglican Cathedral, Nnewi, and the occupants of the vehicle were kidnapped and the vehicle was set ablaze.
“The security situation in the country continues getting worse by the day as the safety of lives and properties can no longer be assured at any given time even in broad day light. It has been from one bad news of one attack to the other,” a witness lamented.
Anambra has been tensed since the weekend when the police and Nigerian Army personnel killed the Personal Assistant to IPOB lawyer.
SaharaReporters had on Sunday reported that the soldiers shot dead the lawyer's Personal Assistant, identified as Samuel Uzo Okoro, also known as Biggy.
It was gathered that the soldiers also took away his corpse, which was put in the boot of a vehicle belonging to the lawyer.
In an update provided to SaharaReporters by civil society organisation, the International Society for Civil Liberty and Rule of Law, said four of the lawyer's relatives were also abducted by the military men.
The reason for this invasion could not ascertained as at the time of filing this report but it might be connected with the lawyer's legal assistance to the separatist group, IPOB, whose leader is Nnamdi Kanu.
According to a statement sent to SaharaReporters by IPOB spokesman, Emma Powerful on Sunday morning, the security forces shot sporadically before taking away the lawyer.