Five police officers were slain by gunmen at the Okpala Junction in Imo State’s Ngor Okpala Local Government Area on Friday morning.
Mr. and Mrs. Chinaka Nwagu, who were from the Amankwo Okpala community, were also killed.
Due to the occurrence, business operations at the intersection and throughout the entire neighbourhood have unexpectedly stopped, causing a situation of panic.
The dead officers travelled from the adjoining Abo Mbaise police division to eat at the crossroads, according to a man who identified himself as Uche and was related to the couple.
He claimed that some gunmen arrived on the spot and started shooting at the policeman while they were eating.
While three police officers were slain at the spot, he claimed that two more fled to a nearby shooting, where they were killed along with a couple who owned the shop they ran into.
According to the witnesses, the attackers went away with their five guns after killing the police officers.
The source said, “It is a black Friday in our community. Gunmen around 8am shot five policemen dead at Okpala junction. The policemen drove in a white coloured Hilux from Aboh Mbaise Police Division to eat at the junction.
“As they were eating, gunmen drove to the place and opened fire on them. Two out of the five policemen ran to a nearby shop where a couple sold meat pie and sachet water. After killing the three policemen, they came two the shop where the two other officers were hiding, and killed them. They also killed a husband and wife that owned the shop.
“They took away their rifles and drove off. This is so unfortunate. Our community is bleeding. Everybody is confused. The couple just relocated from Lagos about one year ago. We just deposited their bodies in a mortuary. The market is shut. People here ran away out of shock and fear. This is unbelievable.”
Another source, Dominic Okpor, said that he saw the lifeless bodies of the cops on the road when he drove through the Owerri – Aba Road.
Okpor described it as horrible. “The bodies of the five policemen were lying on the road as we drove through. Their Hilux was also parked at the junction. The scene was horrible. It is terrible. God have mercy.”
When reached, Henry Okoye, a spokesman for the state’s police, stated that he had not yet received a briefing on the murder case.
However, he made the commitment to look into the matter, but as of the time of this report, there was yet to be a response.
In the same Ngor Okpala LGA, on March 27, some fleeing gunmen ambushed and killed five members of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
