Unknown gunmen have killed a policewoman and two other yet-to-be identified residents at Orji area of Owerri, the Imo State capital.
The gunmen numbering about seven brought the policewoman as a hostage on Thursday, June 3 about 5:30pm, having kidnapped her earlier when they attacked a police station in Orji earlier.
It was gathered that they started their operation from Orji axis, headed to Spibat area and visited other areas from where three persons were killed, including the female police officer and two men.
Eye-witnesses said the men, dressed in black and conveyed in two vehicles, a hilux and a bus, stormed the area from Amakohia axis, and disembarked to stroll round the area shooting sporadically.
They were said to have returned with the officer during their operation on Thursday after their demand to exchange the officer with their members held did not work out, according to The Sun.
Irked by non compliance to release their member, they were said to have shot the female officer on the road.
“They came with the female police officer. I learnt that they kidnapped her the day they attacked Orji Divisional Police Headquarters. They dropped a message that they will only free her if their member in police custody was ready. Having waited without their demand being met, the hoodlums, came with the officer, brought her out and shot her dead,” the source claimed.
Reacting to the incident, spokesperson of the State Police Command, Bala Elkana, said:
“Normalcy has returned to Orji area by combined teams of the Police and other supporting security agencies. Three persons were killed by the hoodlums who blocked Orji flyover and started shooting sporadically. The cause of the shooting is still not clear at the moment. The investigation has, however, commenced.”
