Anambra State Command of the Nigeria Police Force has repelled the simultaneous sporadic heavy gun shooting in Oko and Ekwulobia, when two separate groups of unknown gunmen engaged men of the Oko Divisional Police Headquarters in the Orumba North local government area in an early morning gun battle and another group took over the Ekwulobia flyover bridge in the Aguata local government area of the state on Wednesday, resulting in the death of two members of the public and set ablaze the patrol vehicle of Agunaechemba, the state special vigilante group, which, police said one of the attackers was killed during the deadly gun battle and on Thursday, the Police issued new updates, stating that an additional Ak-47 riffle has been recovered from one of the fleeing assailants, while Biafra armed group, the Biafra Defense Forces in a tweet on Thursday specifically denied any involvement in the mass shooting at Ekwulobia, stating, those impersonating them will one day run out of luck.
According to the Biafra Defense Forces, “The said incident that occurred yesterday at Ekuluobia is not in any way connected to Biafra Defense Forces ( BRF, BNF, BLA, and BAF). Those impersonating BDF will one day run out of luck. Biafrans beware.
Anambra State Police in a new updates on Thrsday, said that “the Police-led Joint Security Force at Aguata recovered an additional AK-47 rifle with a fully loaded magazine in the late hours of 9th July 2025. The weapon is believed to have been abandoned by fleeing armed criminals following a sustained pursuit by security operatives.
This development follows a violent incident in which assailants opened fire indiscriminately under the Ekwulobia flyover and launched an attack on the Oko Divisional Police Headquarters earlier the same day.
The Anambra State Police Command acknowledges and appreciates the continued cooperation and support of residents within the affected communities. Members of the public are urged to remain vigilant and promptly report any suspicious activities to the nearest security agency.
The area remains calm and under control, with surveillance and intelligence operations ongoing to apprehend the remaining suspects connected to the attacks”, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, Police Public Relations Officer, Anambra State Police Command stated in a press release on Thursday.
Ekwulobia in Anambra State came under heavy mass shooting on Wednesday when some of the unknown gunmen could be seen in the series of videos posted online by eyewitnesses took over the Flyover Bridge in the community and were seen shooting sporadically which scared both motorists, nearby residents and other road users. It was gathered that the shooting lasted more than 30 minutes.
In some of the videos, a lifeless body was seen lying inside a commercial tricycle popularly known as Keke, while another clip shows a man lying dead inside a shop with a pool of blood on the floor.
Anambra State Police Command in a statement earlier issued on Wednesday, said that the “Anambra Police-led Security Force contained a shooting incident in the early hours of today 9th July 2025 at Oko and Ekwulobia flyover, Aguata Local Government Area.
The team also demobilised one of the armed criminals, recovered one AK-47 rifle, one automatic pump action gun and four vehicles at the scene as the Operatives sustained the onslaught operations in the area.
The vehicles recovered include one red Toyota Camry vehicle with Registration Number: ENU 58 SC, custom colour, GLK Mercedes Benz without a registration number, golden colour, Lexus 330 with Registration Number: ENU 815 AP and one ash Toyota Highlander with Registration Number: GDD 517 RW.
The Armed criminals unprovokedly shot indiscriminately under the Ekwulobia flyover. Consequently, in a swift response, the Joint Security Team engaged the hoodlums in a fierce gun duel.
Regrettably, the incident recorded the death of two unsuspecting members of the public and the burning of a brown Toyota Sienna vehicle allegedly belonging to the Anambra State Vigilante Group. Meanwhile, the bodies of the deceased have been recovered and deposited in the morgue.
In another development, the Oko Divisional Police Headquarters witnessed an attack, but the gallant Officers on duty repelled the assault by the armed criminals. No casualties were recorded as the aggressive pursuit by the Joint Security Team of the assailants continues in the area.
Given the above, adequate security measures have been put in place at the instance of the Commissioner of Police CP Ikioye Orutugu fwc MNIPS PhD. Residents are hereby urged to remain calm as efforts to ensure their safety continues unabated”, SP Tochukwu Ikenga had stated in a press release on Wednesday.
The local government chairman of Aguata Local Government also in a statement on Wednesday, said that; “In the early hours of today, Wednesday, July 9, 2025, the Anambra Sate Police-led Joint Team (Forward Operating Base) domiciled in Aguata Local Government Area and the Agunaechemba Squad (Aguata Unit) contained an attack launched by hoodlums in Ekwulobia, Aguata Local Government Area.
The hoodlums who shot sporadically in the air around the Ekwulobia Fly-Over were
fiercely challenged by our men and who in turn demobilised one of the armed criminals, recovered their guns and four vehicles.
Unfortunately, two members of the public recorded fatal gunshot injuries while one of the vehicles of the Agunaechemba Squad was burnt from the impact of gun shots. The ability of our security men to contain the attackers is a testament to the relentless efforts of the Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo administration to equip the security system of the State, providing them with the capacity to secure Anambra State.
On behalf of the good and law-abiding people of Aguata Local Government Arca, I
express my gratitude to Mr Governor, Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo CFR, for his commitment towards a secured Aguata Local Government Area and indeed, Anambra State.
Great thanks to our gallant men for their bravery and uncommon patriotism. I urge our people to go about their normal businesses within our communities in Aguata Local Government Area as our security personnel are ever ready at all times.
Together, we will build the liveable society we envision. Remember, security is our collective responsibility. See Something, Say Something”, Chibueze Ofobuike, the Mayor of Aguata Local Government Area stated.