The Imo State Commissioner of Police, Aboki Danjuma, has assured the public, particularly the residents of the Umucheke community in Onuimo Local Government Area of Imo State, that the command under his watch will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that the killers of the seven community heads who are also Eze Umucheke’s cabinet members are all arrested and brought to justice.
Danjuma said this in a release signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Henry Okoye, in Owerri, on Sunday.
He said, “The command’s tactical units in synergy with the other security agencies and the local vigilantes are presently combing the surrounding forests in Onuimo communities for possible apprehension of the fleeing suspects.”
Danjuma assured the community during his condolence visit in the early hours of Sunday together with the Sole Administrator of Onuimo LGA, Dr. Emeka Obi, the representative of the Commander of the 34 Artillery Brigade, Obinze, Major AI Maikarifi, Commandant NSCDC, Mathew Ovye, and other security agencies, for an on-the-spot assessment of the heinous crime.
The CP condemned the killings of the community chiefs, describing it as “a barbaric, inhumane, and senseless act of violence.”
He commiserated with the bereaved families and the entire Umucheke community over the unfortunate demise of their loved ones and vowed that their death would certainly not go in vain.
He assured them that a detachment of the command’s tactical unit would be stationed permanently at the community to prevent any further threat of attack until peace returned to the area.
Meanwhile, PUNCH Metro gathered from sources that the attack was perpetrated by gunmen, suspected to be members of the proscribed IPOB/ESN, numbering about six on three motorcycles.
The police spokesperson said the residents of the Umucheke community allegedly saw the hoodlums but didn’t report them to the police or other security agencies until they perpetrated the dastardly killings and left the community.
Emphasising the imperativeness of community participation in the fight against violent crimes, the CP urged the Onuimo residents and other communities in the state to continue to support the police and other security agencies in the state by remaining security conscious and reporting any suspicious person or activity within their vicinity to the nearest law enforcement station.
PUNCh Metro reported on Sunday that the President-General of the Onuimo community and six clan heads were gunned down in cold blood during a meeting in the PG’s shop and set ablaze.
Some gunmen had recently killed a ward chairman of the All Progressives Congress and seven others in the same community.
And in the last one week, gunmen had killed four policeman and a Point of Sale operator at Irette community, located on the Owerri – Onitsha Expressway in Owerri, the state capital.
Also on Monday, gunmen killed one person and set a truck ablaze when they attacked Umuelemai junction at Isiala Mbano Local Government Area of the state.
The following day, on Tuesday, some gun runners killed a businessman, Okey Nze, popularly known as Wealthy Empire, at the Amawire junction in Orji community, in the Owerri North Local Government Area of the state.
The same day, a policeman identified as OC Ireozor was shot dead by gunmen and a community chief, Paulinus Mbakwe, was also killed, at Nworieubi community in the Mbaitoli Local Government Areas of the state.
A source, who pleaded anonymity told PUNCH Metro, “The victims were killed at the president general’s shop, located in the community’s market, where they were holding a meeting.”
The community has also become a ghost town as residents flee the community after the gruesome murder of the village heads for fear of the unknown.
The Imo State PPRO, Okoye, described the incident as unfortunate and saddening.
He said, “This is very unfortunate. The command is saddened by this tragic incident. Investigation is ongoing to unravel the miscreants responsible for this dastardly act to make them face the full wrath of the law.”
