Governor Alex Otti has ordered a manhunt for the gunmen who killed two Chinese miners and a police officer in Uturu. The attack occurred while they were en route to a mining site.

Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has instructed the state’s security agencies to track down and bring to justice the gunmen responsible for the killings of two Chinese miners and a police officer in Uturu, located within the Isuikwuato Local Government Area. The victims were ambushed on Friday while traveling to a mining site in the Agukwu-Amaya, Ndundu Community.

In a statement released on Sunday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ferdinand Ekeoma, Governor Otti strongly condemned the attack. The statement emphasized the governor’s outrage over the unprovoked assault on innocent individuals, and reassured that his administration would provide full support to security forces to ensure that the culprits are not allowed to escape justice.

Governor Otti further expressed that his government has not only worked to create a conducive environment for businesses and other economic activities but has also prioritized the protection of lives and property by offering the necessary support to law enforcement agencies in the state. He also pledged to strengthen security cooperation with neighboring states to establish a robust security framework that would prevent criminals from crossing into Abia to commit crimes, as was the case with this incident.

The Abia State Police Command has confirmed that the ambush occurred around 5:30 PM on Friday. According to a statement from the command’s spokesperson, DSP Maureen Chinaka, the attack resulted in the deaths of two Chinese expatriates, identified as Mr. Quan and Mr. Cai, and a police escort, Inspector Audu Saidu, who was accompanying them. The assailants also made off with the officer’s rifle. However, in a coordinated operation involving the police, military, and other security agencies, led by the Divisional Police Officer of Uturu, four other Chinese workers and two police officers were successfully rescued.

The state’s Commissioner of Police, Danladi Isa, has since ordered a manhunt for the suspects involved in the attack.