GUNMEN on Saturday killed an Army couple, identified as Mr. and Mrs. A. M. Linus, who were travelling to Imo State to perform traditional wedding rites.
The spokesperson for the Nigerian Army, Onyeama Nwachukwu, confirmed the murder of the couple to The ICIR on Monday via a text message.
“I have received information about the cold-blooded murder of two of our personnel who were travelling home for traditional wedding formalities,” Nwachukwu said.
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He added that the “very dastardly act” was perpetrated by “some criminals” in the state.
Nwachukwu also said that the Nigerian Army had commenced investigations to unmask and bring the perpetrators to book.
According to viral images on social media, the couple’s remains were dismembered by the assailants.
An unidentified man claimed responsibility for the killing in a viral audio clip from a telephone conversation with a woman who is said to be a friend of the slain female soldier.
However, the authenticity of the audio clip has not been confirmed.
In the audio clip, the man, who claimed to be one of the ‘unknown gunmen’, said the couple were killed because soldiers were responsible for killings in the South-East.
There have been numerous reports of killings in clashes between security operatives and members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN) in the South-East.
Government facilities have also been attacked by unknown gunmen in the region.
Lukman Abolade is an Investigative reporter with The ICIR. Reach out to him via labolade@icirnigeria.org, on twitter @AboladeLAA and FB @Correction94