Kazeem Owoseni
No fewer than policemen and two civilians, who are a couple, have been killed by unidentified gunmen, at Okpala junction, Ngor Okpala Local Government Area of Imo State, on Friday.
It was gathered that the incident happened, when some unidentified gunmen, lay ambush on the police officers, who came to eat at the Okpala junction area of the state.
According to a reliable source, who pleaded anonymity, the five slain officers came to eat at the junction, from a nearby police station, Abo Mbaise police division, when the gunmen arrived suddenly and started shooting at them, which led to the death of three officers at the spot, while the other two were killed in a nearby shop, where they took cover, which eventually led to the killing of the couple, who own the shop.
“The dead officers traveled from the nearby Abo Mbaise police division to eat at the junction.”
“The attackers took away five riffles after killing the police officers.
“The shop belonged to the couple,” he said.
According to him, the couple, Mr. and Mrs. Chinaka Nwagu, from the Amankwo Okpala community, who got killed during the incident, just packed in from Lagos.
Explaining further, the source said all the economic activities got paralyzed around the area, due to the tragedy.
“This is very regrettable. Our neighborhood is in pain. Everyone is perplexed.
“About a year ago, the couple moved from Lagos.
“The market has closed. Out of shock and panic.
“People have fled. I can’t believe this,” he wailed.
Another source from the community, Emeka Ndukwu, who claimed to have passed through the scene of the incident, while driving from Owerri-Aba Road, claimed that he saw the dead bodies of the police officers.
“This is awful. As we passed by, the five policemen’s bodies were on the road. At the crossroads, their Hilux was also parked. It was an awful scene. This is awful. God be merciful,” he bemoaned.
Speaking with the state police spokesperson, Henry Okoye, he stated that he had not yet received a briefing on the killing, promising to get back to the newsmen, once he gets any information concerning the incident.
