Oba Deadly Clash: Our Officers Were Ambushed, Deliberately Killed by Tipper Drivers – SASA Spokesperson

Conflicting reports have emerged following a violent clash between tipper drivers and members of the Special Anti-Touting Squad (SASA) in Oba, Anambra State. While initial accounts suggested that the officers were involved in a fatal crash while attempting to block a tipper, SASA’s spokesperson, Karen James, has provided a different version, alleging that the officers were deliberately ambushed and killed.

According to James, the SASA team was carrying out an enforcement operation in a tipper garage in Oba, an area she described as a hub for criminal activities, including armed robbery and drug dealings. She dismissed claims that SASA officers attempted to block a tipper on the expressway, insisting that they were on official duty when the drivers attacked them.

“As soon as our officers arrived at the garage, they were surrounded by armed tipper drivers who launched a coordinated attack,” James stated. “The SASA men were not there to block any vehicle but to enforce the law. The claim that they were stopping tippers on the expressway is a blatant lie.”

Eyewitness reports cited by James indicate that the officers attempted to escape when the situation became hostile. However, the drivers allegedly blocked all exit routes and deliberately rammed their tippers into the officers, killing five on the spot. Six others sustained severe injuries and were rushed to the hospital, while four remain missing.

James further alleged that the tipper drivers carried out the attack to recover items previously confiscated during SASA’s operation. She claimed that after ensuring the officers were dead, the assailants fled the scene.

Security agencies have since launched a manhunt for those responsible, with authorities vowing to bring them to justice. Meanwhile, the incident has sparked widespread outrage, with residents calling for increased security and a crackdown on criminal activities in the Oba area.

James urged anyone claiming that SASA was targeting tipper drivers to come forward with evidence, emphasizing the need for public cooperation in the ongoing investigation.