No fewer than six persons have been killed after suspected members of proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, carried out a bloody attack in Imo state.
The attack, according to Thecable, took place at Ama Hausa in Garki, Okigwe Local government Area, LGA, in the wee hours of Wednesday.
Th development, according to security experts, has further challenged the efforts of security agencies to restore permanent peace to the restive Nigerian south east state.
According to one of the witnesses, the gunmen attacked the area at about 12am and operated until about 9am when troops of the Nigerian Army repelled them.
“As of the early hours of today, around 12am, we heard persistent gunshots from around the Garki area; it lasted for about an hour,” the resident who asked not to be named for his security told TheCable.
“Some gunshots were heard again at about 9am, everyone started running. There are reports that all these things were happening at Garki.
“They said unknown gunmen came to set the Ama Hausa area ablaze and started shooting at people. I think about seven people who died. Everyone has been taking cover in Okigwe since the incident happened.
“The army attacked their camp in the early hours of Saturday. So, I guess they targeted the Ama Hausa as a form of retaliation or something.”
Meanwhile, the state police command has confirmed the attack, which described the incident as unfortunate.
The spokesman for the Command, Henry Okoye said efforts are currently ongoing to arrest the attackers, and bring them to justice.
Okoye said: “It’s a very unfortunate incident; it’s true, and we are on top of things. Upon receipt of the information, the commissioner of police quickly deployed the command’s operational squad to Okigwe.
“We are currently carrying out an intense operation with the military and the local vigilantes to make sure we fish out the perpetrators of this evil act and make them face the full wrath of the law.
“We had six casualties; their corpses have been evacuated.
“They were suspected of being IPOB or ESN, and we call on the general public if they have any information to assist us in the investigation and report to the nearest police station.
“The commissioner of police is saddened over the incident; he is praying for the souls of the innocent citizens who lost their lives in the hands of disgruntled elements.”
Recall that the detained leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu recently condemned the killings in the south east by suspected members of the secessionist group, saying the killings of people in whatever guise was not part of the agitation.
