Gunmen in a Lexus SUV reportedly opened fire on a police patrol van shooting three policemen dead along Chime Avenue, New Haven Enugu on Wednesday.

The police team was said to be on night patrol when they were attacked.

A resident of the area, who confirmed the incident, said the gunmen double-crossed the policemen with Lexus SUV at the bus stop and attacked them, adding that two policemen were killed inside the gutter where they ran to hide at the Block bus stop in front of a supermarket.

The resident  said: “Three policemen were killed last night at the Block bus stop. Fear gripped everyone because the shooting was too much. I learned this morning (Thursday), that it was those policemen that normally mount checkpoint at Otigba junction every evening to collect money from people.

“The information this morning (yesterday) was that they were going back to their station when the gunmen double-crossed them and killed three policemen.”

Confirming the incident on Thursday, Enugu State Police command’s spokesman, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, said the command was on the trail of the attackers, adding: “Intensive manhunt operation is ongoing to fish out the assailants.”