There  was pandemonium in the Enugu State capital on Thursday as gunmen attacked a police checkpoint and killed three policemen.

The hoodlums were also said to have shot a point-of-sale operator in the leg.

While making away with the operator’s money, they reportedly abducted a woman around the area.

The incident, which happened around 1.20pm at a police checkpoint near Ulumalinda Estate, Maryland, in the Enugu South Local Government Area of the state, reportedly paralyzed economic activities in the state capital.

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An eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told our correspondent that the hoodlums operated for close to 30 minutes without a challenge despite multiple police and military checkpoints around the state capital.

He said, “The hoodlums shot for nearly 30 minutes. About five poles away from the checkpoint they attacked was another police checkpoint. But immediately the shooting started, the policemen fled.”

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Daniel Ndukwe, confirmed the incident.

He said, “Details are sketchy, but a manhunt has been launched for the attackers.”