A devastating attack by unknown gunmen on Saturday evening left eight people dead in the Umuchoke Okwe community of the Onuimo Local Government Area (LGA) in Imo State.
The victims were attending a village meeting when the assailants stormed the location and opened fire, killing everyone in sight.
“It is true. Some gunmen attacked Umuchoke Okwe today and killed over eight people. They stormed a meeting involving the president-general of the community and some community heads and shot everyone,” a resident of the community said.
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The state police spokesman, Henry Okoye, confirmed the incident to The Nation on Sunday, August 4, stating, “Yes, it is true. The hoodlums, suspected to be members of IPOB, stormed the meeting venue at about 17:00 hours on motorbikes, fully armed. They opened fire and killed eight on the spot, while three others were wounded and rushed to the hospital for treatment.
Okoye added that the police commissioner, Aboki Danjuma, has visited the scene and commiserated with the families of the victims. He assured residents that the police are working to ensure their safety, saying, “The commissioner has ordered the Command Tactical team and other security agencies to comb the forest near the scene of the incident and fish out the perpetrators.
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“We appeal to residents to go about their normal duties, as we have the duty to ensure that lives and property are protected. We also appeal to them to offer information that will lead to the arrest of the hoodlums.”
