THE Imo State Police Command has said that it is on the trail of criminals who killed seven prominent community leaders in Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area on Tuesday morning.
The command said the killings in Mmahu autonomous community were cult-related.
Speaking in an interview with The ICIR, Michael Abbatam, the state police spokesperson, said, “There is an investigation going on on the matter. The commissioner of police has directed the deputy commissioner in charge of State Intelligence Investigation Department (SCID) to bring the perpetrators to book.”
Abbatam said Rabiu Hussaini, the commissioner of police, had also ordered the SCID to commence a discreet investigation to fish out the perpetrators.
In an earlier statement Abbatam said about 20 armed men, led by one Ossy, who allegedly escaped from the Imo correctional centre, invaded the community.
“On 08/02/2022 at about 2200 hours, one ‘Ossy’ led about twenty armed men with their faces masked to Mmaahu Community in Ohaji Egbema LGA of Imo State, went to the following identified person houses namely; Charles Mgbarahor, Funky Anane, Charity Nwachukwu, Edeme Okoro, Isaac Ojenya, Ndubuisi Nwabusi, and Junior Ifeyinwoke, shot and killed them,”
“The Divisional Police Officer, on receipt of this information immediately, mobilised his men and other patrol teams to the area; on arrival at the scene, the hoodlums have deserted the place, leaving seven persons dead.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the killing has elements of cultism. And that ‘Ossy’ is an escapee from Imo Correctional Centre Owerri who is reasonably suspected to belong to a cult group known as ‘De- Gbam’. While the persons killed are suspected of belonging to another cult group known as ‘De- Well’,” the statement said.
Abattam said the police command had deployed additional tactical units to the community to support the operation of the Egbema division in order to forestall a reprisal attack.
A reporter with the ICIR
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