According to the statement, the hoodlums who were suspected to be renegades of the Eastern Security Network, the militant wing of the Indigenous People of Biafra, operated in a Lexus SUV and Toyota Tundra truck.
The Nigerian Police Force has appealed to residents of Enugu State to assist it with credible information and intelligence to fish out the criminal elements including those who attacked and killed three police officers in Agbani on Saturday.
The state police commissioner, Ahmed Ammani who made the appeal on Sunday, however, warned residents to be vigilant and watchful in order not to be the next victim of any criminal activity.
SaharaReporters had reported that hoodlums killed three policemen allegedly extorting money from commercial motorbike riders at a checkpoint in Agbani, headquarters of Nkanu West Council Area of the state on Saturday morning.
However, the Command in a statement issued on Sunday by Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, said Ammani had directed the deployment of all operational assets and intelligence resources of the Command to ensure that the fleeing hoodlums and other criminal elements operating in the state are hunted down.
Ndukwe said the commissioner gave the directive after visiting the scene of the attack and murder of three police operatives on stop-and-search duty on Saturday, adding that the hoodlums were about 15 in number.
According to the statement, the hoodlums who were suspected to be renegades of the Eastern Security Network, the militant wing of the Indigenous People of Biafra, operated in a Lexus SUV and Toyota Tundra truck.
"The visit, amongst other things, was to enable him (Commissioner) to assess and re-strategise towards further containing the nefarious activities of the subversive criminal elements," the police statement says.
The statement further reads: "Preliminary investigation suggests that the same hoodlums are responsible for the attack and shooting in the thigh of a filling station manager, kidnapping of a male victim and snatching of another's vehicle at different times, within the Ibagwa-Nike and Alulu-Nike axis of East LGA, on 17th and 18th November, 2022.
"Consequently, the Commissioner, while categorically stating that the Command will never be deterred in its quest to rid Enugu State of this manner of criminals, has ordered the maximum deployment of all the operational and intelligence resources of the Command to ensure that the renegades and other criminal elements operating in the state, are hunted down.
"He made it clear that the Command will stop at nothing in fishing out and putting to an end the heinous and violent crimes of the unrepentant criminals.
"Meanwhile, citizens of the state have been enjoined to remain law-abiding, vigilant and assist the Command with credible information and/or intelligence she requires to fish out the criminal elements and contain general acts of crime and criminality in the State.
"This they can do by calling the Command's emergency hotlines on: 08098880172, 08032003702, 08075390883 or 08086671202; or alternatively send emails to [email protected]."