Suspected cultists kill two policemen in A’ibom

SUSPECTED cult members, in the early hours of yesterday, attacked a checkpoint manned by officers attached to the Quick Response Squad at Ikpe Annang Junction in Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, and killed two policemen.

It was gathered that the officers were burnt to death inside the police van by the hoodlums allegedly on a reprisal.

According to an eyewitness who pleaded anonymity, the hoodlums stormed the scene on motorcycles and attacked the officers with guns, forcing them to flee.

Unconfirmed report had it that three rifles were stolen by the criminals during the attack.

The incident was the latest of the reprisals on the police over a renewed fight against insecurity and cultism in the area. It would be recalled that hoodlums had attacked a police station in the area twice, destroying properties and inflicting machete cuts on a police officer, leaving him unconscious.

The Ikot Ekpene Area Commander, ACP Bello Kankofori, expressed shock over the attack on policemen. He assured that the police would fish out those behind the attack, and called on residents to help with information to flush out criminals from the area.

The lawmaker representing Essien Udim in the State House Assembly, Esse Umoh, who visited the scene, condemned the attack and described it as ‘ barbaric.’ The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Odiko MacDon, said only a police inspector was killed and that a thorough investigation had since been ordered by the Commissioner of Police, Mr Amiengheme Andrew.