Nation
At Least 10 Feared Dead in Okigwe as Gunmen Launch Coordinated Attacks
No fewer than 10 people have been reportedly killed by yet-to-be-identified assailants in multiple attacks across Okigwe, Imo State, southeast Nigeria.
Sources told Southeastposts that the attacks, which occurred in the early hours of Thursday, targeted mourners returning from a wake-keeping ceremony, leaving the community in deep shock and fear.
A resident who spoke on condition of anonymity said the victims were attacked at different locations including Ogii and Umuokpara. He revealed that some of the deceased were killed during the wake, while others were ambushed on their way back home.
“We started hearing gunshots around 3 a.m. on Thursday. Later in the morning, there were shouts and cries everywhere,” the source recounted. “The dead bodies were gathered in one place. Most of them were young men and women. It was heartbreaking.”
The source continued, “They were attending a burial wake-keeping when armed men stormed the venue and opened fire. Those who left early were ambushed along the road and killed. If you count the bodies gathered so far, they are more than ten. This happened in Umuokpara, Ogii, and a few other nearby areas.”
Graphic photos and videos circulating on social media show several lifeless bodies lying on the ground, with voices in the background calling out the names of the deceased in apparent attempts to identify them.
Efforts to reach the Imo State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Henry Okoye, for an official response were unsuccessful, as calls and text messages sent to his phone were not returned as of press time.
Okigwe and its environs have suffered repeated attacks by unidentified gunmen in recent years, with little to no breakthrough in identifying or apprehending those responsible.
Thursday’s massacre marks yet another dark chapter in the region’s deteriorating security situation, leaving residents traumatised and demanding urgent government intervention to restore peace and safety.
