Bennett Oghifo
Terrorists, who are yet to be unmasked, in the early hours of yesterday murdered five policemen and a couple, Mr. and Mrs. Chinaka Nwagu at the Okpala Junction in Ngor Okpala Local Government Area of Imo State.
The incident threw the junction and the entire community into a state of panic as commercial activities abruptly came to an end.
The spokesperson of the Imo State Police Command, Henry Okoye confirmed the tragic incident, stating that it was being investigated while normalcy had been restored to the area, and urged people in the area to go about their lawful businesses.
Those who witnessed the gruesome murders told journalists that the policemen, who were from Aboh Mbaise Police Division, drove to the junction in a police white Hilux car to eat when the gunmen opened fire on them at the table, killing three on the spot while two ran into a shop nearby that was operated by the couple.
The gunmen tracked the two policemen to the shop and killed them along with the shop owners, eye witnesses said, adding that people scampered to safety, as the gunmen, who carted away their five rifles, shot sporadically into the air and drove off.
A particular eyewitness and relative of the slain couple, Uche told journalists that the couple relocated from Lagos about a year ago and were tending their pastry shop at the Junction where they were shot and killed.
He said the bodies of the couple have been deposited at a mortuary in the area.
Another eyewitness narrates how the killings happened: “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 to 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.”
An indigene of Ngor Okpala said he saw the lifeless bodies of the cops on the road when he drove through the Owerri – Aba Road.
He 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.”
The Imo State Police command yesterday evening said that it had launched a manhunt for the killers of its five operatives and a couple at the Okpala junction.
The spokesperson of the police in the state, said the command’s Tactical and Operational Teams had been deployed to the area.
On March 27, some fleeing gunmen ambushed and killed five personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in the same Ngor Okpala LGA.
