Chaos in Owerri as gunmen return to rampage and besiege Imo communities

Chaos in Owerri as gunmen unleash panic and chaos in Owerri, the Imo State capital, on Monday, as unidentified gunmen reportedly laid siege to several communities, shooting sporadically as residents and business owners fled for safety.

According to eyewitnesses, there was sporadic gunfire around Wetheral, Douglas, MCC, Okigwe, Aba Road, Ikenegbu and Aladinma areas of the capital.

State Police spokesman Henry Okoye, who confirmed the incident in a statement, said officers were deployed to the scene and they engaged in a fierce gun battle with the gunmen and managed to repel the attackers.

“Our troops engaged in a gun battle with the bandits suspected to be members of the banned IPOB/ESN. Intensive operations are ongoing to restore normalcy,” Okoye said.

“We are deploying personnel on a large scale, in fact this operation is led directly by the Regional Police Chief.

“We have made concerted efforts in synergy with other security agencies to ensure that we, as a matter of urgency, restore normalcy in the country.

“I assure the good people of Imo State that the criminals responsible for this senseless act of violence will be caught, dead or alive,” he said.

The attack came days after gunmen killed five policemen and three civilians and also set fire to vehicles in coordinated attacks in the state.

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