Gunmen kill 7 village Heads in Imo state.
Hyginus Ohazurike, President-General of the Umucheke Okwe autonomous community in Imo State‘s Onuimo Local Government Area, was reportedly shot dead by assailants on Saturday evening.
The shooters allegedly assassinated six village heads from the autonomous community.
An indigene of the village, who requested anonymity, reported that the gunmen, who were in a vehicle, struck when the victims were attending a meeting in the community.
According to the report, “Some gunmen have just shot dead the President-General of the Umucheke Okwe autonomous communi
ty and six village heads.”
“The PG and village heads were meeting at the PG’s shop in the community market when the attackers arrived. The gunmen opened fire, killing all the community leaders and setting the place ablaze. The source was visibly apprehensive, adding that no one knew why the attack happened.”
He went on to say, “No one knew what the meeting’s agenda was. They were meeting at the PG’s shop when the gunmen arrived.
“They opened fire, killed all the village chiefs in attendance, and burnt the place before driving off.”
According to report, residents of the community have fled their houses in the aftermath of the heinous crime.
Emeka Obi, the only administrator of the local government area, acknowledged the killings when phoned and claimed he was addressing his citizens.
He condemned the killings and advised everyone to keep calm.
Henry Okoye, spokesperson for the Imo State Police Command, was yet to respond to our correspondent’s inquiry when this article was filed.
Recall that some gunmen previously killed an All Progressives Congress ward chairman and seven others in the same locality.
Four police officers and a Point of Sale operator were killed by gunmen in the Irette village, located on the Owerri-Onitsha expressway in Owerri, the state capital, throughout the last week, commencing on Monday.
On Monday, gunmen stormed Umuelemai junction in the state’s Isiala Mbano Local Government Area, killing one and setting fire to a vehicle.
The following day, on Tuesday, some gunmen assassinated a businessman, Okey Nze, also known as Wealthy Empire, at Amawire junction in Orji village, in the state’s Owerri North Local Government Area.
On the same day, attackers shot and killed OC Ireozor, a police officer, and Paulinus Mbakwe, a village chief, in the Nworieubi community of the state’s Mbaitoli Local Government Area.
