Gunmen Kill Four Policemen In Imo, None in Abia

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

The Abia state Government has said that no security personnel was killed during a fierce gun duel between some gunmen and security operatives in Aba on Monday July 29, 2024.

But in Imo State, four Policemen were shot dead by attackers suspected to be sit-at-home enforcers in an operation along  Owerri/Onitisha Road.

A female customer of a Point of Sales, POS operator was also killed by the gunmen who attacked the Police officers who were on a stop and search operation at the Blossom Hotel check point close to SaveMore Market Place in Irete area of Owerri.

The incident, according to eye witness accounts occurred at about 6.30 pm .

The suspected hoodlums were said to have taken the Police Personnel unawares, and shot pointedly at them.

The Imo State Police Command has confirmed the attack and loss of its officers, and said that Security Operatives will do everything to apprehend the hoodlums.

Instructively, the Command had last weekend warned that it would not condone the activities of elements purporting to be enforcing any kind of sit-at-home order in any parts of the state .

The Source reports that the Simon Ekpa led faction of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra had declared a week long sit-at-home in the Southeast  region beginning from Monday 29 .

His Autopilot militia are strongly suspected to be behind the wave of attacks that rocked some states of the region on Monday,July 29.

Henry Okoye ,the Imo state police Command spokesperson in a statement had informed that the police along side other arms of security agencies had beefed up security at strategic areas of the state.

While vowing to deal ruthlessly with any acts aimed at disrupting the peace of the state under any guise, the Police also warned parents to caution their wards against molesting innocent and law abiding residents .

According to him, security personnel drawn from the police ,army and other security agencies have been strategically deployed and tasked to carry out a 15-day show of force and confidence building patrol of all the 27 local councils of Imo state .

Speaking to the media at the end of Abia state Executive Council meeting on Monday evening, Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kalu ,said that some hoodlums and criminal elements in three operational vehicles engaged the Military in a gun battle in Umuode ,by Tonimas junction on Enugu/Port Harcourt highway in Osisionma local council Aba.

The gun duel, he further  stated,  stretched to Umuojima area in same Osisioma area where the criminals were over-powered by the Military personnel.

The criminals, he added later fled with varying degrees of gun shot injuries  after having one of  them killed by the military operatives .

Kalu, who said the hoodlums escaped in one of their operational vehicles- a Toyota Lexus ,said security agents have launched a manhunt for them.

While urging Abia residents to be wary of  criminal elements, he sued for  vigilance and credible  intelligence from residents concerning their activities.

He reaffirmed the  commitment of the Abia state Government towards protecting lives and properties of the people.