In a series of violent attacks in Imo State, gunmen killed a police officer and destroyed multiple facilities, causing widespread alarm among residents.
The events unfolded late Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning, leading to the loss of lives and significant property damage.
The first incident was at NEPA Junction in Umulogho, Obowo Local Government Area, where gunmen stormed a residential compound.
According to eyewitnesses, the attackers specifically targeted the residence of a police officer.
“They took their time to identify who is a student and a police officer in that compound before killing him after identifying he was a police officer,” one witness said, who requested anonymity for safety reasons.
The officer was reportedly dragged out of his room and killed in a gruesome manner, as the assailants spent over 45 minutes at the scene. “He was slaughtered,” the witness added.
The attackers then fired shots sporadically to scare residents away before leaving the area.
Despite the presence of multiple police formations in the vicinity, including the Obowo Police Division, no immediate response was forthcoming.
“After an hour, and 30 minutes the military came and not the police,” the witness lamented.
It did not stop there. The same group of gunmen returned early Wednesday morning and set fire to the Otoko Divisional Police Station, located along the Owerri-Umuahia road.
The attack on the police station further deepened the sense of insecurity in the area.
Meanwhile, in another violent episode in Isiala Mbano Local Government Area, two security guards were killed, and vehicles and buildings were set ablaze.
An eyewitness reported that the secretariat of the Isiala Mbano council was among the structures targeted by the attackers, resulting in injuries to many people.
The Imo State Police Command has condemned the attacks, with Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Henry Okoye, vowing that the perpetrators would be brought to justice.
“The Command has deployed tactical teams to apprehend those responsible for this crime,” Okoye said. He assured residents that measures were being taken to protect lives and property in the affected areas.
The attacks have heightened concerns about the ongoing violence in Imo State, as law enforcement struggles to contain the rising tide of criminal activities.
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