Gunmen on Tuesday afternoon attacked the convoy of a U.S embassy vehicle, killed the staff occupants, burnt their corpses, as well as their vehicle in Anambra State.
Sources said that the convoy of the officials came under attack in Ogbaru Local Government Area of the state where four persons were killed in the tragic incident.
Confirming the incident, DSP Ikenga Tochukwu, Police Public Relations Officer in the state, said two policemen and two officials of the US Consulate were murdered.
The command’s spokesman added in a statement that the incident occurred along Atani, Osamale road in Ogbaru LGA around 3:30pm.
He said, “The Joint Security Forces have embarked on a rescue/recovery operation in Ogbaru LGA, following an attack on a convoy of staff of U S Consulate today 16/5/2023 by 3:30 pm along Atani, Osamale road.
“The hoodlums murdered two of the PMF operatives, and two staff of the Consulate, and set their bodies ablaze and their vehicles.
“Also, the arsonist/murderers on sighting the responding joint security forces abducted two Police operatives, the driver of the second vehicle and took to their heels. No U S citizen was in the convoy.
“The Command regrets that a convoy of such or any related will enter the state without recourse to the police in the area or any security agency.
“The battle against the insurgents in the State is focused and it will remain sustained until such a time security stability is fully restored.”
Periscope International reports that Anambra is where Nigeria’s Labour Party February 25 elections presidential candidate, Peter Obi hails from.
Obi purportedly lost the election and there has been massive outrage there ahead of the inauguration of the declared winner of the election, Bola Tinubu, who hails from Southwestern Nigeria and his inauguration is slated for May 29.
It’s not clear if the massacre is connected to the outcome of the election which many said was massively rigged and is being challenged in court.
The attack has prompted concerns about the safety of American personnel operating in Nigeria and underscores the volatile situation in the region.
