The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has pointed fingers at the United States Embassy for the recent attack on its staff in Anambra state.
The incident occurred when gunmen ambushed a diplomatic convoy on a humanitarian mission to Anambra, resulting in the tragic deaths of four individuals, including two police officers. The assailants callously burned the victims’ bodies, leaving a gruesome scene.
Tochukwu Ikenga, spokesperson for the Anambra police command, expressed his disappointment in a statement, suggesting that the U.S. Embassy should have obtained a security pass before entering Anambra, a volatile region in southeastern Nigeria.
“The command regrets that a convoy of such nature would enter the state without seeking assistance from the local police or any security agency,” he stated.
The U.S. government has acknowledged the attack and is collaborating with Nigerian security agencies to investigate the incident.
A statement from the U.S. Department confirmed, “We confirm there was an incident on May 16 in Anambra State. U.S. Mission Nigeria personnel are working with Nigerian security services to investigate.”
Anambra has gained notoriety for violent killings, often attributed to unknown gunmen. Security forces have frequently linked such attacks to the outlawed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) and Eastern Security Network (ESN).
Providing details of the incident, the police statement explained, “The hoodlums murdered two of the Police Mobile Force operatives and two staff of the consulate and set their bodies ablaze alongside their vehicles.” This chilling account showcases the brutality of the attackers and the heinous act committed.
The statement further revealed, “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.”
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