By Yemi Yusuf
Two staff of the United States Consulate Office in Nigeria who were kidnapped in Tuesday’s deadly attack by the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, at Ogbaru, Anambra State, have been rescued.
The two were among the five consular staff and four policemen whose convoy of two vehicles was waylaid by the Eastern Security Network, ESN, an armed wing of IPOB on Tuesday. Seven people, including three consulate staff and four policemen, were killed in the attack.
The police have refused to release the names of the rescued staff but the state police spokesman, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, told journalists in Awka, the state capital, that the men were unhurt during the rescue operation which took place in the early hours of Friday.
Ikenga said the missing men were saved by a team of joint security forces which had been in pursuit of the criminals who had murdered seven men in cold blood.
Part of his statement reads: “In the early hours of Friday, May 19, 2023, the joint security forces rescued unhurt the two remaining victims abducted during the attack on a US convoy attack along Atani/Osamela road in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State.
“Operations are still ongoing and further details shall be communicated, please.”
In a previous press briefing, the State commissioner of Police, Echeng Echeng had given details of how three US embassy workers and their four escorts were killed. He said their vehicles were ambushed between the hours of 12 noon and 2pm along the Atami/Osamela road but when the police and other security men arrived after getting a report of the incident by 3:30 pm, the brigands ran into the forest, leaving evidence of their dastardly act. He said two men connected to the incident were however helping the police with their investigation at the time.
A list of all those in the convoy as released by USAID include four police officers: Inspector Bukar Adams, Inspector Friday Morgan, Inspector Adam Andrew and Inspector Emmanuel Lupata, all of Squadron 23, Police Mobile Force, Lagos.
The staff of the consulate involved in the attack were: Jefferson Obayuwane (RTD DSS personnel) Sunday Prince Ubong, Ekene Nweke, Hassan Etila, and Avwuvie Kaye Monday.
No United States citizen was involved in the attack said both Nigerian and American authorities.
