He, however, vowed to deal decisively with such criminal elements.
The spokesman said that on June 7, police operatives serving in the Awkunanaw Division in Enugu arrested three suspects in another operation.
He stated that the criminal elements opened fire on the operatives upon sighting them.
Mr Ndukwe said that a discreet investigation was ongoing to arrest other members of the gang.
The police command in Enugu says an Abuja-based online publisher, Madu Onuorah, was arrested over alleged defamatory publication against a US-based reverend sister.
The police also recovered firearms and other items from the suspects.
“However, the team was ambushed and attacked by a large group of the criminal elements, who opened fire on them,” said the police spokesperson.
Mr Ndukwe noted that the identities of the suspects had been withheld for investigation reasons.
The police recovered electrical distribution boxes, rolls of cables, and many quantities of LED electrical bulbs, all valued at about ₦1,500,000, from the notorious suspects.
![Nigerian Policewomen used to illustrate the story. CREDIT: Twitter]](https://gazettengr.com/wp-content/uploads/Nigerian-Policewomen.jpg)
Mr Ndukwe said after a gun battle with the abductors, they abandoned the victims and fled.
