SUNTV Global Channel | January 16, 2026 | Enugu, Nigeria
The Enugu State Police Command has confirmed the killing of two police officers following a deadly attack on a police checkpoint along Agbani Road, Enugu, on Thursday night, January 15, 2026. The command has blamed the attack on suspected members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN).
In a statement issued on Friday by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Daniel Ndukwe, the gunmen reportedly launched an unprovoked assault on a team of officers attached to the Police Distress Response Squad (DRS) who were on duty at the checkpoint.
According to the police, the attackers opened fire suddenly, triggering a gun battle between the operatives and the assailants. The officers responded swiftly, forcing the gunmen to retreat with what the police described as varying degrees of gunshot injuries.
However, during the exchange of fire, the police patrol vehicle was set ablaze, and two officers sustained critical gunshot wounds. They were rushed to a nearby hospital for emergency treatment but were later pronounced dead by medical personnel.
Reacting to the incident, the Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa, condemned the attack and ordered an immediate and intensified manhunt for the perpetrators. He directed tactical, intelligence, and operational units of the command to deploy all available resources to track down the fleeing suspects.
“The Commissioner of Police has charged operatives to leverage actionable intelligence and sustain the established trail to ensure that the assailants are arrested and brought to justice,” the statement read.
The police also confirmed the recovery of a Lexus 330 jeep believed to have been used by the attackers. The vehicle, reportedly earlier snatched from its owner, was found abandoned and riddled with bullet holes from the gun duel.
CP Giwa appealed to residents of Enugu State to remain calm and cooperate with security agencies by providing credible and timely information that could lead to the arrest of the suspects. He assured members of the public that all informants’ identities would be strictly protected.
“The Command remains resolute and committed to ensuring that subversive and violent criminal elements do not evade justice,” the police said.
Following the incident, security patrols have been intensified across strategic locations in the state, particularly along major roads and flashpoints, as investigations continue.
The latest attack comes barely weeks after a similar deadly ambush on December 27, 2025, along Zik Avenue near Good Shepherd Specialist Hospital in the Uwani area of Enugu metropolis, where two police officers were also killed and their patrol vehicle set on fire.
The officers, later identified as Inspectors Valentine Iheme and Anayo Ede, were said to have been on routine patrol when they were ambushed by armed men who arrived in an ash-coloured Lexus RX 350 SUV. The attackers reportedly opened fire at close range, killing the officers instantly before shooting the fuel tank of their Hilux patrol vehicle, which burst into flames.
During that earlier attack, three AK-47 rifles, each loaded with 30 rounds of live ammunition, were allegedly carted away by the assailants.
While police authorities have not officially linked the two incidents, senior security sources described the attacks as possibly targeted, noting that investigations are ongoing to determine any connection between them.
The renewed violence has heightened concerns among residents over security in Enugu, as calls grow louder for sustained intelligence-driven operations to curb attacks on security personnel and restore public confidence.
SUNTV Global Channel will continue to monitor developments and bring updates as investigations progress.
