Gunmen on Saturday night ambushed policemen on stop-and-search duty in Enugu metropolis, leaving two officers dead.
The attack occurred at the Osondu bus stop along Zik Avenue, Uwani, Enugu, around 9 pm, according to sources. The assailants reportedly opened fire on the police patrol vehicle, killing the driver before setting the vehicle ablaze. Another officer was also shot dead during a subsequent gun duel.
A video circulated on social media on Sunday showed the patrol van engulfed in flames. Efforts to reach the Police Public Relations Officer in Enugu State, Daniel Ndukwe, for comments were unsuccessful. He neither answered calls nor responded to messages.
Meanwhile, the death of 19-year-old Nnamdi Chidi in Agunese Mmaku Community, Awgu Local Government Area, has generated conflicting accounts, prompting the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) to call for an independent investigation.
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One narrative, presented by Onuseluogu Birinus Nevobasi, links Chidi’s death to a violent reprisal following a police operation. It alleges that officers from the Force Intelligence Department (FID) in Abuja, led by Jonathan Azubike Onuoha, arrested Emmanuel Okeke in an ongoing probe. According to this account, Emmanuel’s younger brother, Ifeanyi Okeke, allegedly threatened retaliation, prompting an attack on Onuoha’s family home on May 6, 2025. The assault reportedly injured residents, including Onuoha’s elder sister and her children. Chidi later died of injuries sustained in the attack on May 8 at Beacon Hospital in Awgu.
Nevobasi claims that the Awgu Police Division initially investigated the matter before the Homicide Department of the Enugu State Police Command took over. An autopsy reportedly established a prima facie case of murder, leading the Force Headquarters Homicide Unit to arrest a prime suspect and recommend prosecution. Nevobasi further alleged that the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Monitoring Unit attempted to interfere with the probe, filing counterclaims of cyberbullying and character assassination against those alleging murder.
A counter-narrative advanced by Vincent Okafor and supported by the IGP Monitoring Unit disputes the murder claims. Citing a statement from Chidi’s mother, Augustina Ogbaja Onuoha, the unit maintains that Chidi died of natural causes linked to a pre-existing medical condition.
The Monitoring Unit said its visits to the community aimed to ensure investigative integrity and claimed the murder allegations were fabricated to target innocent individuals. It added that advocates of the homicide narrative avoided cooperation with police, instead pursuing court orders to limit questioning.
