A robbery attack on a bullion van in Ebonyi State has led to the death of four policemen.
The Ebonyi State Police Command confirmed the killing of the security officials on Wednesday, hours after the incident occurred.
A Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) and the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Loveth Odah, explained that the policemen were escorting the bullion van to one of the first-generation banks along Ogoja Road in Abakaliki, the state capital.
She added that they were attacked and killed by suspected armed robbers along Ezzamgbo axis of the Enugu-Abakaliki Expressway.
According to the police public relations officer in Ebonyi, the driver of the van and other officers sustained various degrees of gunshot injuries during the encounter.
She noted that the bullion van was trapped in traffic at Ezzamgbo around the flyover in the area which was still under construction.
Odah said the assailants stormed the scene of the attack in two vehicles and took advantage of the traffic to open fire on the security operatives.
She, however, disclosed that the robbers were unable to succeed in carting away the money as the bullion van driver was able to escape.
The command’s spokesman stated that the robbers were forced to turn back to neighbouring Enugu State after the failed operation.
She said the bodies of the policemen have been deposited at the morgue and others who sustained injuries have been taken to the Federal Teaching Hospital in Abakaliki for treatment.