The Enugu State Police Command has commenced hunting for the miscreants who attacked some parts of the state on Saturday morning.
NIGERIACRIME gathered that there was pandemonium in the state caused by the heavy shooting.
Two persons were shot dead during the attack by gunmen trying to enforce a sit-at-home directive around the new market area in the state.
A police van was set ablaze by the miscreants, an eyewitness who did not want to be mentioned disclosed.
The source said the gunmen, numbering over 10, had stormed the New Market area as early as 6 am probably to shut down the market but were confronted by some policemen patrolling the market area to reassure traders of their safety.
Continuing, the source revealed that the attackers and the policemen engaged in a gun duel before they succeeded in setting the van on fire.
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Reacting, the State Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Ammani, in a statement on Saturday, said he had issued orders to Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers, and Commanders of all the Tactical/Operational Units to ensure the maximum deployment of intelligence and operational resources are at their disposal.
The police authorities also instructed their men to effectively patrol and fish out miscreants that may want to disturb public peace and security and disrupt the businesses and otherwise activities of law-abiding citizens, under the guise of enforcing illegitimate sit-at-home orders.
The CP has reassured that the Command, collaborating with other security agencies and law-abiding citizens, will never rest in ensuring that the lives and property of the citizenry are protected against the undesirable activities of criminal elements, hellbent on causing unwarranted havoc to fellow citizens.
The Commissioner urged all and sundry to remain vigilant, go about their lawful businesses, and resist succumbing to the antics of the miscreants, including the spread of tension-causing fake news.
He enjoined residents to continue to support and cooperate with the Police and other security agencies in their unwavering quest to quell the activities of criminal elements.
He said normalcy has since been restored at the New Market axis of Enugu and a crack team of Police Operatives deployed to hunt down the armed hoodlums, who shot sporadically and breached public peace in the area.