A deadly ambush on a police patrol unit in Abia State on May 6, 2025, has left one officer dead, another briefly missing, and a police firearm stolen, sparking an intense manhunt.
According to police sources, the incident occurred at approximately 8:30 p.m. along a narrow stretch of the Port Harcourt–Aba Road in Asa, shortly after a filling station. The officers—ASP Victor Eze, Inspector Nwanochi Ndubuisi, Inspector Christian Gbaratee, and Inspector Ekoro Isong—were returning from Port Harcourt, Rivers State, when they were ambushed by five armed assailants clad in military-style combat gear.
During the attack, Inspector Christian Gbaratee was fatally shot, and his service firearm, along with a detained suspect, were taken by the attackers. Inspector Ekoro Isong was declared missing but was later found unharmed.
The police launched a rapid response, recovering a Toyota Corolla believed to have been used by the suspects, as well as expended ammunition, a laptop, and three travel bags. The remains of Inspector Gbaratee have been deposited at Euro Allied Medical Center Mortuary for autopsy.
A joint operation with military forces is underway to track down the assailants, recover the stolen weapon, and bring the perpetrators to justice.
