No fewer than four policemen have been killed in a fresh attack by gunmen in Imo State, police authorities said on Friday.

Also killed were two civilians along Okpala Junction in Ngorokpala Local Government Area of the South-Eastern state.

The Imo State Police Command confirmed the unfortunate killing to Channels Television in a statement, saying the incident happened in the early hours of Friday.

Police Public Relations Officer, Henry Okoye, said the incident occurred when the police team attached to Mbaise/Ngorokpala Area Command were on patrol of the area.

They were reportedly attacked and ambushed by gunmen who engaged the police team.

Okoye said in the process, four officers paid the supreme price while two unarmed civilians were killed.

According to him, the State Police Command is on top of the situation and men of the command’s tactical team have been drafted to the area for intensive combing with a mandate to arrest the perpetrators and bring them to book.

The police spokesman also appealed for calm in the area.

Gunmen have been launching attacks in several parts of Imo of recent.

Some days ago, an inspector of police, Augustine Ukaegbu, was killed by gunmen in Umuoshike Ogbor, Aboh-Mbaise LGA of the state.

In March, three officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were feared dead following an ambush in Obiangwu community, Ngor-Okpala LGA.

Source:channelstv.com