On the evening of May 6, 2025, a police Inspector, Christian Gbaratee, was killed in an ambush by armed assailants along the Port Harcourt-Aba Road, near Asa. The incident occurred around 8:30 p.m. while a team of officers, including ASP Victor Eze and Inspector Nwanochi Ndubuisi, returned from a Rivers State trip. The attackers, five in total, were dressed in combat gear and intercepted the officers’ vehicle after a filling station along the narrow road.
During the violent confrontation, Inspector Gbaratee was fatally shot, and another officer, Inspector Ekoro Isong, went missing. The gun stolen from Inspector Gbaratee was among the items taken by the assailants, along with a detained suspect.
A swift police response led to the recovery of a Toyota Corolla, expended ammunition, a laptop, and three travel bags. Fortunately, Inspector Isong was later found unharmed. The body of the late Inspector Gbaratee has been transferred to the Euro Allied Medical Centre Mortuary for an autopsy. A search operation, in cooperation with military forces, is currently underway to apprehend the attackers and recover the stolen firearm.
