GUNMEN suspected to be members of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) have reportedly killed seven people in Orogwe community, Owerri West Local Government Area (LGA) of Imo State.
It was also gathered that many others were injured in the incident, which occurred on Monday night.
According to a resident who chose to be anonymous, the attention happened days after a youth was arrested by members of the Ebubeagu security outfit.
The Imo State Police Command confirmed the incident on Wednesday, saying seven persons died in the attack.
Spokesperson of the Command Mike Abattam said the gunmen stormed the community on Monday night and opened fire on residents of a building in the community.
“On 01/8/2022 at about 11 p.m., the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Ogbaku Divisional Police Headquarters, Owerri, got a distress call that armed bandits suspected to be members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed affiliate Eastern Security Network (ESN), came in a black Lexus Jeep and three motorcycles carrying two persons each, shooting sporadically at the occupants in a building at Orogwe, Owerri West LGA, Imo State,” Abattam said in a statement.
According to the statement, the building belongs to one Chima Ogbuehi, who resides in Lagos.
The police spokesperson said that while seven occupants were killed, others were critically injured.
“The Divisional Police Officer swiftly mobilised his men with the support of a detachment of the Command’s tactical teams to the scene, but on arrival, the hoodlums had escaped almost immediately, snatching a blue coloured Toyota Sienna SUV vehicle and the Command’s tactical team speedily went on their trail while the DPO and his men rushed the injured ones, to Federal Medical Centre, Owerri and evacuated the corpses to the mortuary.
“Regrettably, a total of seven persons lost their lives in the attack while six others sustained injuries and were rushed to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owerri, Imo State.”
The police spokesperson said the Commissioner of Police in Imo State Mohammed Ahmed Barde had ordered a discreet investigation into the incident, promising that the Command would go all out in ensuring that the perpetrators were arrested and made to face the full wrath of the law.
However, tension has enveloped the Orogwe community, as some residents had fled for fear of further attacks. Some of them believed that the hoodlums would return, having failed to kidnap their target.
A reporter with the ICIR
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