Gunmen Dressed in Military Fatigues Killed 17 People in Nigeria
- Seventeen villagers were shot dead in a night-time raid by gunmen disguised in military gear across three communities in Arondizuogu, Imo State
- Eyewitnesses described the attack as indiscriminate and brutal, with victims chased down in shops and home
- Police linked the gunmen to the proscribed IPOB/ESN and launched a tactical crackdown to restore calm and track down the perpetrators
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Residents of Arondizuogu, in Ideato Local Government Area of Imo State, were left devastated after gunmen dressed in military fatigues reportedly carried out fatal shootings across three communities, Ndi-Ejezie, Umualaoma, and Ndiakuwata Uno, on Thursday evening.
According to eyewitness accounts, at least 17 individuals were killed during the rampage, which has raised growing concern over insecurity in Nigeria’s South-East.
Source: Original
Among those mourning was Ogbu Chidozie, who spoke to BBC Igbo about the death of his loved ones.
“For my village for Umualaoma, dem kill nine pipo including my sister and her husband,” he said.
Chidozie revealed he was not in Umualaoma when the incident occurred but arrived early Friday morning to find the lifeless bodies of his sister and brother-in-law.
Victims targeted in shops and homes
BBC Igbo reported that three attackers, riding on motorcycles and armed with firearms, entered the villages at approximately 8:30pm and began indiscriminate shooting at residents, many of whom were running for safety.
Chidozie described the assailants as “one gunman plus two men wey wear military uniform,” who started at Ndi-Ejezie, progressed through Ndiakuwata, and circled back again, firing continuously.
He also clarified that the attackers were not thieves, as they did not take any property. Instead, they targeted anyone they encountered in open shops, pursuing them and shooting on sight.
Social media videos circulating in the aftermath showed graphic scenes, including four bodies on the ground in Ndi-Ejezie. One survivor explained how he narrowly escaped death while playing draft with four others just as the shooting began.
Imo state police link attack to IPOB/ESN
Imo State Police Command suggested that the gunmen may have been affiliated with the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its security arm, the Eastern Security Network (ESN).
DSP Henry Okoye, speaking on behalf of the Command, stated that security operatives have been deployed to investigate the incident and apprehend those responsible.
Okoye assured residents that the tactical unit was actively combing the affected areas and that the situation was now under control. He added that law enforcement agencies were determined to prevent such violence from occurring again.
Imo state under siege
For several years, unknown gunmen have continued to terrorise communities across Imo State, often leaving behind trails of death and destruction.
While authorities have labelled many of these perpetrators as “unknown,” others are believed to be linked to IPOB’s militant wing.
Despite efforts by the police and state government, attacks on innocent civilians have shown no signs of subsiding, prompting renewed calls for greater security intervention and justice for the victims.
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Source: Legit.ng
