Police order investigation into Imo attack as residents flee community

The Imo police command has ordered a full-scale investigation into the attack on Orogwe community in Owerri west LGA, Imo state.

On Monday, gunmen invaded the community and killed seven people, while six other victims sustained injuries from the attack.

In a statement on Wednesday, Michael Abattam, the Imo police spokesperson, said the command received a distress call on Monday night that gunmen suspected to be members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) were attacking a building that belongs to one Chima Ogbueghi.

He said the police responded to the call, but the attackers escaped in a stolen vehicle.

“On 01/8/2022 at about 2200hrs, the divisional police officer in charge of Ogbaku divisional police headquarters Owerri, lmo State, got a distress call that armed bandits suspected to be members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its arm affiliate, Eastern Security Network (ESN), came in a black Lexus Jeep and three motorcycles carrying two persons each, shooting sporadically at the occupants in a building at Orogwe, Owerri West LGA, Imo State, belonging to one Sir Chima Ogbuehi who resides in Lagos and some tenants are suspected to have been fatally injured,” the statement reads.

“The divisional police officer in charge of the area mobilised his men with the support of a detachment of the command’s tactical teams to the scene, and upon arrival, the hoodlums had escaped, snatching a blue-coloured Toyota Sienna SUV vehicle.

“The command’s tactical team speedily went on their trail, while the DPO and his men rushed the injured ones to Federal Medical Centre Owerri and evacuated the corpses to the mortuary.

“Regrettably, a total of seven persons lost their lives in the attack while six (6) others sustained injuries and were rushed to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owerri, Imo State.”

While ordering a full-scale investigation into the incident, Mohammed Barde, the Imo commissioner of police, said the security agency will enforce its resources to bring the perpetrators to justice.

He also appealed to the residents of the area to be calm, and urged them to assist the police with credible information that may lead to the capture of the attackers.

However, a source from the community who did not want to be named, said members of the community are currently fleeing to neighbouring communities for safety.

“Since this incident happened on Monday night, we are no longer sleeping with our two eyes closed. Our people are now leaving in fear,” the resident said.

The resident, however, called on police and other security agencies in the state to do everything within their reach to return the community to a peaceful position.