A United States Embassy convoy was attacked by gunmen in Anambra state, on Tuesday, May 16, killing four people, which includes two staff from the US consulate and two police officers, while three others were kidnapped, according to the Nigerian security services and US state department officials.
The Anambra Police Command confirmed the attack, saying the attackers killed two police operatives and two staff of the US Embassy and set their bodies and their vehicles ablaze.
Although, they were attacked, John Kirby of the US National Security Council revealed that the personnel who were killed were not US citizens, but there were casualties and some fatalities in the attack according to the White House and the local police.
The Deputy Superintendent of Police, Ikenga Tochukwu, said that when the assailants saw security forces they eloped with two police officers and a driver of the second vehicle in the convoy. He also confirmed that no US citizen was in the Convoy, but the Police security forces have commenced a rescue and recovery operation in the area.
The US State Department spokesperson, John Kirby said on Tuesday, May 16, that the US Mission Nigeria personnel are working with Nigerian security services to investigate the attack and bring the perpetrators to book.
He added that providing security for their personnel is important and they would take extensive steps in providing strict security when organizing trips to the field.
The South East part of the country has been under siege by gunmen that has killing and kidnapping both citizens and expatriates, the security of residents in the past years have been jeopardized owing to the emergence of these unknown gunmen. The South East especially Anambra state, has become a safe haven for these evil perpetrators.
Recall that Dr Chike Akunyili, husband of the former NAFDAC boss, late Dora Akunyili, was gruesomely murdered September 2021, in Anambra by unknown gunmen.
