The Ebonyi State Police Command has arrested 20 suspects in connection with the killing of three policemen in the State.

There were reports on Thursday that Gunmen killed three policemen and carted away their rifles along Onuebonyi/Nwezenyi Road in Abakaliki LGA of Ebonyi State.

The security operatives were killed while they were on a stop and search operation in the State.

The State’s Police PRO, DSP Loveth Odah, who confirmed the development, said that the gunmen, who were in a convoy, disguised as mourners.

But on approaching the checkpoint at Nwaezenyi where they were flagged down, they immediately opened fire before setting the police van ablaze and carting away the security personnel rifles.

Odah said: “According to our Safer Highway team, some disguised people were moving in a convoy as if they were doing a burial rally with motorcycles. Three motorcycles in the front with three tricycles before the two Sienna buses following them.

“In the process of checking them, they opened fire and killed two police closer to them at the checkpoint. The other officers at the sentry shot at them and we reasonably suspected that some of them were also wounded.

“There are traces, in fact, we have gone for an on-the-spot assessment. The Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operation) has led officers to assess the level of damage and find out what actually happened