The CP confirmed this in a press statement issued to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday and signed on his behalf by the command’s spokesman, SP Bala Alkana.

He said the command acted on credible information before rounding up the assailants in Afor Enyiogugu Mbaise.

“Following a distress call received by the command on the gruesome murder of Ahmed Gulak, Police Special Forces made up of Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Police Mobile Force (PMF) and Tactical Units from the command were deployed to the scene.

“The teams were given a clear instruction to identify and apprehend the perpetrators of the act with a view to bringing them to justice.

“Eye witness account, especially the account given by the driver of the vehicle that was conveying Ahmed Gulak to the airport before the attack, gave a vivid description of the assailants and the vehicles they used in carrying out the attack.

“The assailants were said to have used a silver-coloured Toyota Camry, a golden-coloured Toyota Sienna, a white coloured Toyota Hilux, and a Lexus RX 330 vehicle for the attack.

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“Having established the identity of the assailants and the description of the vehicles used in carrying out the attack, the teams further got details of the direction the hoodlums have taken, the team was able to establish the location of the suspects.

“The suspects were rounded up at Afor Enyiogugu junction in Aboh-Mbaise Local Government Area, where they were met distributing onions to locals from a trailer they confiscated.

“On sighting the Police, the hoodlums providing security coverage to those sharing the onions opened fire on the Police teams, but the gallant and battle-ready Police officers swiftly returned the fire."

The six hoodlums who carried out the killings and four other members of their gang were fatally injured, three out of the four vehicles used in attacking Gulak were impounded.

“Three AK 47 Rifles, one Pistol, five AK 47 magazines with 92 rounds of live ammunition and criminal charms were recovered.

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“The driver who drove late Ahmed Gulak and a co-victim who survived have all identified the dead body of the suspects as their attackers and also identified the three vehicles recovered as those used by the attackers.

“During the encounter, two of the police armored personnel carriers (APC) were riddled with bullets but survived the gun battle.

“The CP commended the gallant effort of the team and urged them to continue to protect the public space."

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports Gulak, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was shot dead on his way to Sam Mbakwe Airport, Owerri to catch a flight.

The police commissioner had said in a statement that the late Gulak did not use security escort to the airport in spite of the high level insecurity in the state.