BY PETER OKUTU
ABAKALIKI- A Divisional Police Officer, Mr. Meshack Okpara, formerly in charge of Kpirikpiri police station within Abakaliki metropolis of Ebonyi state was weekend shot along Ngbukobe area by some hoodlums suspected to be hired assassins.

The DPO who came to Kpirikpiri in Ebonyi Local Government Area of the state, on the penultimate day to handover to a new Divisional Police Officer of the station was said to have been ambushed after the exercise and shot severally by the hoodlums.

Vanguard learnt that before the ugly incident, the victim was to resume duties as DPO of Ezza North Local Government Area where he was transferred to.

Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer of the State command, DSP Sylvester Igbo disclosed that the DPO has been taken to the hospital (name withheld) where he was currently receiving treatment adding that the condition of the victim was stable and that people should stop chitchatting that he had died.

According to the PPRO, some of the persons suspected to be masterminds of the ugly incident have been arrested and would soon be charged to court in line with the provisions of the law.

He called on members of the public to volunteer useful information that would assist the police in its effort to unravel incidences of crimes in the state. DSP Igbo noted that the police was yet to ascertain the objective behind the plot to assassinate Mr. Okpara but however expressed optimism that in no distant time, details surrounding the attack would soon be unravelled.

He insisted that the police cannot work alone in the fight against crimes and criminals even as he enjoined members of the public to cooperate with the police as any information made available to the command would be kept with absolute secrecy.