Gunmen launched a deadly ambush on a police patrol team in Imo State on Sunday, July 6, killing a police constable and reportedly abducting an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP).
The attack took place around 9:00 a.m. near Finas Gas Station along the Okigwe-Umuahia Road, close to the Old Gariki area in Okigwe—an area described by sources as a “dangerous zone.”
According to a source familiar with the incident, “During the ambush, Police Constable Oluebube was shot dead, and his service rifle was taken by the attackers. ASP Casmir, who led the patrol, has been missing since the attack, raising fears that he may have been abducted or killed.”
The source added, “One police constable, Oluebube, was killed, and his rifle was seized. ASP Casmir and his AK-47 rifle remain missing. Other officers from the patrol have returned to base and are receiving medical treatment.”
The Imo State Police Command confirmed the incident on Monday, July 7, and announced that a manhunt is underway to apprehend those responsible.
Police spokesperson Henry Okoye revealed that early investigations link the attackers to the banned Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its paramilitary wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN).
“An intensive operation is ongoing to capture the perpetrators,” Okoye said. “While some may question the mention of IPOB, confessional statements from suspects have directly connected their actions to the group. Our responsibility is to report facts as investigations reveal them.”
