Gunmen on Thursday morning killed three police officers at a checkpoint in Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra State.

The assailants attacked the checkpoint along the Umunze-Ihite road, opening fire and killing three policemen on duty. Other policemen escaped after a gun duel that lasted for a while.

A video of the deceased officers went viral on Thursday.

In the viral video, one deceased policeman could be seen lying on the road, while the other two dead bodies were spotted lying near a building close to the scene of the attack.

Residents and shop owners in the area closed down their shops and stayed indoors in fear of another attack.

The police spokesperson in Anambra State, Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident in a statement describing the incident as “unfortunate.”

He stated that murder of the officers is one of the highest prices security officers pay in serving their nation.

Mr Ikenga expressed pain and regret over the loss but also stated that the state police command will not be deterred by the incident.

“Reinforcement teams are already in the area and the manhunt for the assailants is ongoing while joint security patrols have been intensified in the area,” Mr Ikenga said.

Anambra State, in recent years, has witnessed a series of similar attacks on police formations and facilities in the state.