In the wake of the attack of a US Consulate staff convoy along Atani, Osamale Road in Anambra State on Tuesday, the US has said no American citizen was affected.
“I just got informed about a whole lot before coming out here to talk to you all. Just looks like a US convoy vehicle was attacked.
“What I can tell you is that no US citizens were involved and therefore there was no US citizens hurt. But we are aware of some casualties perhaps even some killed,” US National Security Council Spokesperson John Kirby said on his YouTube Channel.
Four Others Killed
Meanwhile, the spokesman of the Anambra State Police Command Tobechukwu Ikenga, also confirmed in a statement that no US citizen was in the convoy, but said that four persons were gunned down.
“The Joint Security Forces have embarked on a rescue/recovery operation in Ogbaru LGA, following an attack on a convoy of staff of US Consulate today 16/5/2023 by 3:30 pm along Atani, Osamale Road.
“The hoodlums murdered two of the PMF operatives, and two staff of the Consulate, and set their bodies and vehicles ablaze. Also, the arsonist/murderers on sighting the responding joint security forces abducted two Police operatives, the driver of the second vehicle and took to their heels. No US citizen was in the convoy.”
He expressed regret over the convoy’s entry into the state without recourse to the police or any other security agency in the area, but assured that the police won’t be deterred in their battle against insurgents.
He noted that such battle “will remain sustained until such a time security stability is fully restored”.
The attack is the latest in a series of attacks in Anambra State, often targeted on security and government facilities, as well as on high-profile personalities.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
