Two officers of the Nigeria Police Force were killed on Friday night when a group of dangerous criminals attacked a police checkpoint at the well-known Opobo Junction, near the Aba-Ikot Ekpene Expressway in Abia State.

Another officer sustained injuries during the attack, which caused significant distress among local residents. The police were reportedly stationed at the junction for their regular evening patrol when the assailants struck. A witness described the attackers as armed and dangerous, arriving in a Sienna SUV. Just a few minutes into the officers’ night shift, multiple police squads arrived at the scene, prompting people to evacuate the area.

SaharaReporters quoted the witness saying that the incident caused widespread panic, leading local businesses and market vendors to shut down hurriedly, with some even abandoning their goods in search of safety.

This attack on security officials comes a month after gunmen targeted a military checkpoint at the Obikabia Junction in Aba, Abia State. During that attack, the assailants set fire to a military vehicle and were believed to be enforcing the sit-at-home order issued by IPOB across the Southeast region to commemorate Biafra Day, an annual holiday in the area.

The heavily armed individuals, dressed in black, were reportedly seen intermittently firing at the junction, adding to the chaos and fear among residents.