Police spokesman in Ebonyi, Chris Anyanwu, confirmed an attack on a police patrol team by gunmen at Nkomoro area of the state on Thursday. He said two operatives were shot in the encounter.

“On Thursday, a police patrol team attached to Ezza North Divisional Headquarters, was ambushed by a gang of hoodlums who shot sporadically at the team,” Mr Anyanwu, a police superintendent, said in a statement on Friday.

“A quick response by the patrol men got the hoodlums scampering to safety with bullet injuries.”

Mr Anyanwu further confirmed that the encounter left the police patrol vehicle burnt by the miscreants.

“Two policemen who sustained injuries as a result of the attack are responding to treatment in the hospital,” he however pointed out.

“Furthermore, none of our weapons was carted away by the hoodlums as reported,” Mr Anyanwu stated.

Police tactical teams have arrested a number of suspects in the area and investigation is on-going, the spokesman noted.

(NAN)