Enugu Police launch manhunt for driver, conductor over attempted murder of officers, rifle snatching
The Police Command in Enugu State has launched a manhunt for a bus driver and his conductor over serious assault and attempted murder of police officers as well as snatching of a police rifle.
This is contained in a statement issued by the Command’s Spokesman, SP Daniel Ndukwe, on Sunday in Enugu.
Ndukwe noted that the command had commenced manhunt for the driver and conductor of a Mitsubishi L300 commercial bus for the offences of conspiracy, serious assault, dangerous driving, attempted murder, and snatching of police rifle.
According to him, the incident occurred at about 1:20p.m. on July 9, at All Saints Roundabout, along Abakaliki Road, Enugu.
“Acting on information received from the Command’s Control Room that the driver and conductor had assaulted a traffic police officer on duty, operatives of the Distress Response Squad (DRS) intercepted and flagged down the vehicle.
“However, instead of submitting to arrest, the driver deceptively slowed down before suddenly accelerating in an attempt to escape.
“In the process, he knocked down one of the operatives and dragged away the officer’s AK-47 rifle, which had become entangled with the vehicle.
“During the ensuing pursuit, the suspects threw the rifle out of the vehicle at IMT Bus Stop along the same road before speeding off. The rifle was immediately recovered intact, with its ammunition,” he said.
The state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr Mamman Giwa, had ordered a comprehensive investigation and intensified efforts to arrest and prosecute the fleeing suspects.
The commissioner warned the driver and conductor to voluntarily present themselves to the police for proper investigation, “as every lawful measure is being deployed to apprehend them.”
The state police boss urged the public to disregard misleading narratives surrounding the incident and cautioned against assaulting or obstructing police officers in the lawful discharge of their duties.
He stressed that such acts are serious criminal offences that would be dealt with decisively in accordance with the law.