The Imo State Police Command has deployed tactical and operational teams to Ngor Okpala Local Government Area of the state in search of those behind the killing of five policemen and a couple, on Friday.
Disclosing this in a statement by the spokesperson for the police in the state, Henry Okoye, said, ”We are closing in on them”.
“The murder incident is confirmed. The command has deployed tactical and operational teams to the area for constant patrol and in search of those behind this dastardly act. We are closing in on them.
“The corpses of the operatives have been evacuated and deposited in a morgue”, he said.
The spokesman urged members of the public to go about their lawful business without fear of intimidation, staing that the command was capable of protecting the people of the state.
It would be recalled that some gunmen had on Friday opened fire on the cops, who went to eat at a local restaurant, killed all of them and carted away their rifles.
The gunmen also killed a couple, identified as Mr and Mrs Chinaka Nwagu, who owned a shop beside the crime scene.
According to a resident of the area, the slain policemen were believed to have come from the Aboh Mbaise Police Division.
He said: “The policemen had hardly settled down to eat, when the rampaging hoodlums stormed the place and opened fire on them at close range.
“Two other policemen, who narrowly survived the initial gunfire, quickly escaped, ran into the nearby store, owned by the Nwagus and hid in the store.
“Apparently determined to fully accomplish their set goal, the hoodlums traced the fleeing policemen to the store, shot them and equally eliminated the couple, possibly, for giving the cops sanctuary.
“All the rifles of the slain policemen, were carted away. It was not very clear, if the hoodlums traced the policemen to the Junction or whether it was sheer coincidence.”
