Gunmen have killed no fewer than eight community leaders in Umucheke, Onuimo Local Government Area of Imo State.
It was gathered that those killed by the gunmen included the President-General of the community, Hyginus Ohazurike, and seven other village heads.
The community leaders were said to have been attacked while holding a meeting at Ohazurike’s shop in the community.
Sources told newsmen on condition of anonymity that the reason for the attack could not be ascertained, saying that the community had been peaceful and never experienced such an incident before.
Confirming the incident on Sunday, August 4, 2024, the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Aboki Danjuma, said the community leaders were shot dead on Saturday night.
Danjuma, who led some heads of other security agencies to the scene of the attack, blamed the attack on the members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Gunmen kill 4 policemen, PoS operator in Imo
He said the police, in collaboration with the Nigerian Army and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), were currently combing forests in and around Okigwe axis in search of the assailants.
The police commissioner stated: “The hoodlums that perpetrated yesterday’s attack are six in number.
“They came on three motorcycles; people of the community claimed they saw them but didn’t report to the police or other security agencies until they perpetrated the killings and fled.
“Imo residents need to be security conscious and report any suspicious activity to the police because that is the only way we can put an end to these senseless killings.”
Danjuma commiserated with the families of the deceased and Umucheke community over the killings, assuring that security agencies were working in synergy to apprehend the gunmen responsible for the incident and make them face the full wrath of the law.
He further stated that the command would station a detachment of security operatives in the community to beef up security in the area.
The incident occurred barely a week after gunmen attacked some parts of Owerri, the Imo capital, killing five policemen and three civilians.
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