Again, Gunmen Kill Two Residents, Set Fire to Waste Disposal Truck in Imo State

In a tragic incident in the Amawire area of Orji, Owerri-north LGA, Imo State, gunmen reportedly killed two individuals and set a waste disposal truck ablaze on Tuesday afternoon.

Eyewitnesses recounted the attack, stating that the victims, a man and a woman, were shot at close range while waiting for a vehicle near Amawire junction, close to Imo State University. The male victim is believed to have been a student of the university.

Following the shooting, the assailants set fire to a waste disposal truck belonging to the Imo State Government, causing widespread panic. Shops along Okigwe road were swiftly closed as shop owners fled upon hearing the gunshots. “It was a terrible scene,” one witness described.

Another local resident suggested the incident could be linked to the proposed nationwide protest, warning that such attacks might escalate if security forces focus solely on managing peaceful demonstrators. “Imo needs to rise to the occasion,” he urged, noting the emboldened actions of the gunmen using scare tactics.

Concerns over the potential dangers of the protest were echoed by another resident, who advised people to reconsider participating to avoid falling victim to such violence. “We must not become victims,” he added, recounting how his son narrowly escaped the violence by running back to safety.

Henry Okoye, the police spokesperson in Imo State, assured that the situation is under control, with police operatives heavily deployed in Orji to apprehend the attackers. This incident follows a recent attack on Monday, where four policemen and a female Point of Sale (POS) operator were killed on the Owerri-Onitsha road by gunmen enforcing a sit-at-home order.