It was a bloody Monday in Imo State, as hoodlums unleashed terror on the Owerri-Orlu road, killing a police officer and two civilians in cold blood. The incident, which occurred at the Ohii junction, sent shock waves across the state and raised questions about the security situation in the region.
According to eyewitnesses, the hoodlums were driving a Corolla SUV car and opened fire indiscriminately at the junction, hitting the victims who were going about their normal activities. Some of the victims were said to be point of sale (POS) operators, who were robbed of their cash by the assailants.
The police officer, who was on duty in the area, tried to confront the hoodlums, but was shot dead on the spot. His colleague, who was also on duty, escaped with injuries and was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.
The hoodlums, who were suspected to be members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a secessionist group that has been agitating for the independence of the South-East region of Nigeria, fled the scene after the attack. They were said to be enforcing a sit-at-home order issued by the group to protest the arrest and detention of their leader, Nnamdi Kanu, by the Nigerian government.
The Imo State Police Command confirmed the incident and condemned it in strong terms. The Police Public Relations Officer, Henry Okoye, said that the Commissioner of Police, Aboki Danjuma, had ordered the command’s Tactical Team to go all out in synergy with other sister security agencies and clamp down on the hoodlums.
He also appealed to the public to remain calm and cooperate with the police in their investigation and manhunt for the perpetrators. He assured that the police would not rest until the culprits were brought to justice and peace was restored in the state.
The attack was the latest in a series of violent incidents that have rocked Imo State in recent months, as hoodlums have been targeting security operatives and facilities, as well as government officials and institutions. The state governor, Hope Uzodinma, has blamed the IPOB and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), for the unrest and vowed to crush them with the full force of the law.
However, the IPOB and the ESN have denied any involvement in the attacks and accused the governor and the security agencies of orchestrating them to tarnish their image and justify the crackdown on their members and supporters.
The situation has created tension and fear among the residents of the state, who have been living in uncertainty and insecurity. Many have called on the federal and state governments to dialogue with the IPOB and address the root causes of the agitation, rather than resorting to violence and repression.