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From George Onyejiuwa, Owerri
The tactical units of the Imo State Police Command in synergy with other sister security agencies including the military are now combing the forests in Onuimo local government area following the dastardly killing of eight cabinet members of the monarch of Umuecheke community late evening of Saturday.
This is as the state Commissioner of Police has vowed to leave no stone unturned untill the gunmen suspected to be members of the Indigenous People of Biafra(IPOB)and their affiliate are apprehended.
CP Aboki Danjuma, gave this assurance during his condolence visit to Umucheke community in the early hours of yesterday,together with the Sole Administrator of Onuimo LGA, Emeka Obi, representative of the Commander 34 Artillery Brigade, Obinze, Major AI Maikarifi, Commandant NSCDC, Comdt. Mathew Ovye, and other security agencies, for an on-the-spot assessment of the heinous crime.
The CP, who strongly condemned the tragic killings of the innocent community chiefs, describing it as barbaric, inhumane, and senseless act of violence. He commiserated with the families of the bereaved and the entire Umucheke community over the unfortunate demise of their loved ones and vowed that their deaths would certainly not go in vain.
The CP further assured that a detachment of the command’s tactical unit would be stationed permanently at the community to evade any further threat of attack until peace returns to the community.
Meanwhile, he said, “preliminary findings revealed that the attack was perpetrated on Saturday at about 5pm by gunmen, suspected to be members of the proscribed IPOB/ESN, numbering about six on three motorcycles. 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.”
Emphasizing the imperativeness of community participation in the fight against violent crimes,he urged the residents of Onuimo 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 police Station or via 08034773600.
“Together, we can stop criminally minded elements from perpetrating heinous crimes in the state”.
To this end, the CP reaffirms the Command’s unalloyed determination to enhance the overall safety, security, and well-being of ‘Ndi Imo’ for economic growth and prosperity of the state.
However, a member of the community who did not want to be named,said that the gunmen who they alleged were members of the IPOB were on a revenge mission.
He said that the gunmen had accused members of the cabinet of having informed security agents which he said had led to the arrest of some of their members.
“ They were on a revenge mission because I learnt that they had accused some members of the Eze’s cabinet of having informed the security agencies three months ago which led to the arrest of some of their members and they also threatened that if their members are not released that they would kill them. As I speak to you, the IPOB has conquered Onuimo because they relocated from the Arondizogu axis in Ideato to Onuimo because of the large expanse of the forests there “.
