Five policemen and a couple are killed by gunmen in Imo

Five police officers were slain by gunmen at the Okpala Interchange in Imo State’s Ngor Okpala Local Government Area on Friday morning.

Mr. and Mrs. Chinaka Nwagu, who were from the Amankwo Okpala community, were also killed.

Due to the occurrence, business operations at the intersection and throughout the entire neighborhood have unexpectedly stopped, causing a situation of panic.

The dead officers traveled from the neighboring Abo Mbaise police district to eat at the crossroads, according to a source who identified himself as Uche and was related to the couple.

He claimed that some gunmen arrived on the spot and started shooting at the policeman while they were eating.

When three police officers were slain at the spot, he claimed that two more fled to a nearby shooting, where they were killed along with a couple who owned the shop they ran into.

According to the witnesses, the attackers hauled away their five guns after killing the police officers.

The source said, “It is a black Friday in our community. Gunmen around 8am shot five policemen dead at Okpala junction. The policemen drove in a white coloured Hilux from Aboh Mbaise Police Division to eat at the junction.

“As they were eating, gunmen drove to the place and opened fire on them. Two out of the five policemen ran to a nearby shop where a couple sold meat pie and sachet water. After killing the three policemen, they came two the shop where the two other officers were hiding, and killed them. They also killed a husband and wife that owned the shop.

“They took away their rifles and drove off. This is so unfortunate. Our community is bleeding. Everybody is confused. The couple just relocated from Lagos about one year ago. We just deposited their bodies in a mortuary. The market is shut. People here ran away out of shock and fear. This is unbelievable.”

Dominic Okpor, another person, claimed to have driven across the Owerri-Aba Road and saw the dead bodies of the police officers.

Okpor described it as horrible. “The bodies of the five policemen were lying on the road as we drove through. Their Hilux was also parked at the junction. The scene was horrible. It is terrible. God have mercy.”

When reached, Henry Okoye, a spokesman for the state’s police, stated that he had not yet received a briefing on the murder case.

However, he made the commitment to look into the matter and get back to our correspondent, but as of the time this report was submitted, he had not yet done so.

In the same Ngor Okpala LGA, on March 27, some fleeing militants ambushed and killed five members of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.