5 People Assassinated in Imo State, Nigeria

Dec 3, 2011 – 5 People Assassinated in Imo State, Nigeria
The sleepy Amaifeke and Okporo communities in Orlu local council area of Imo State have been thrown into confusion and deep mourning, following what a resident called “an orchestrated assassination.

Saturday Vanguard investigation revealed that a man suspected to be a drug baron allegedly hired some assassins to eliminate a man simply identified as Okwuotu from Amaifeke.

It was not clear at press time if Okwuotu was the baron’s business partner but feelers from the community was that the hired gunmen traced their target to a beer parlour at Amaifeke.

“Not knowing that their supposed victim had left the drinking spot but seeing two men, including a soldier, who presumably fitted the description of their target, they opened fire and silenced the duo on the spot”, the villager recounted.

Another account had it that after realizing they had shot the wrong persons, they traced Okwuotu to Orie Okporo market square where they shot three other persons.

“After this orgy of killings, the hoodlums sped off in a Honda car but the vehicle inexplicably stalled midway and they started fiddling with it before news went round the community that three men had been shot in the market square”, a villager recounted.

Continuing, the villager told Saturday Vanguard that information reached the joint army/police patrol team and they quickly raced to the scene of the ugly incident.

“The hoodlums were given a hot chase and arrested. Their alleged sponsor have also been arrested and taken to the State Police Headquarters, Owerri, for interrogation”, the villager said. naijagists.com

Efforts made to get the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Samuel Oodee, to speak on the matter failed as his line could not be reached.

The matter was made worse following the barricading of the gates of the State Police Headquarters, Owerri, on the order of the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar.