Owerri: Tragic Sunday As Gunmen Kill Police Officer, Wife

By Charles Igbo

It was a tragic Sunday, August 20, 2023, in Owerri, capital of Imo State, when gunmen, numbering three, killed a retired Police Officer and his wife.

The two were killed at the Fire Service Police Shopping Complex.

The gunmen who came in a  black-coloured Sienna, shot and killed the Police Officer identified as  Sampson Owobo, a retired Assistant Superintendent of Police, ASP, and heartlessly, also, shot and killed his wife who rushed down to her husband’s aid on hearing his screams.

The incident took place at about 8.00pm.

Eye witnesses said the gunmen arrived at Owodo’s shop in pretence that they wanted to do a POS transaction. But in the process, they attempted to grab a bag containing money from the daughter of the Police Officer. Intuitively, the retired Police Officer tried to resist them. That was a mistake.

They shot him. His wife, on  hearing her husband’s screams, and seeing people running away, rushed to his aid, but was equally shot as she shouted “my husband, my husband”.

While her husband died on the spot, the brave woman died on the way to the hospital, leaving their children, suddenly,  orphaned.

ASP Owobo hailed from Benin, Edo State.

At the time of filing this report, the Police Command has not issued a statement, but the crime scene has been cordoned  off.