Barely 24 hours before a planned nationwide hunger protest, there has been utter pandemonium in Owerri, the Imo state capital and its environs on Wednesday, as gunmen took over major parts of the city, shooting sporadically, while residents of the state scampered to safety.
The gunmen launched series of attacks across the state capital, Owerri on the popular Ikenegbu area ; Wethedral road which introduces Government House , Owerri ; and the Okigwe road which begins from Government House junction and culminates at the back gate of the Imo State University campus.
Other areas overtaken by gunshots were the Amawusa area, Douglas road and the Toronto street which stretches toward the popular MCC road.
These attacks left resident in palpable fear , commotion, panic and pandemonium especially around the ever busy Fire Service junction which stretches toward Tetlow road, Mbaise road and the popular Eke Ukwu Owerri market.
Mrs Roseline Okeke, a a fish trader at Relief Market, a major market situated only 200km away from Fire Service junction said all traders and buyers fled for dear lives when the shooting occurred, with with security operatives spraying tear gas to scare the hoodlums.
Also, Miss Ukamaka Nwole, a POS operator at Fire Service junction said the road was emptied in seconds as gunmen released sporadic gunshots very close to the Fire Service police station, Owerri.
The Imo State Police Command Spokesperson, Henry Okoye, said that the hoodlums have now adopted a “guerilla-style strategy, where they come out from their enclaves, unleash surprise attack and go back into hiding.”
Speaking on the development, Okoye said the Commissioner of Police, Aboki Danjuma has launched a head-on attack on the suspected gunmen.
Okoye said, “The Commissioner of Police has personally led men to the scene. The Command is on-top of the situation. We will get the miscreants reponsible for the senseless attacks either dead or alive.
“We will so deal with the miscreants responsible for the attacks and killing of security operatives and unsuspecting members of the public in such a way that they will never think of perpetrating insecurity in the state again.
“Let us encourage Imo people to report any suspicious person/activities to the Police.
“ This is indeed a trying time but together we will come out victorious. Imo must be peaceful.
“They are pure cowards but concerted efforts are underway by security agencies to apprehend them.
“Our men had a shoot-out with hoodlums suspected to be members of the proscribed IPOB/ESN. Intensive operation is ongoing to restore back normalcy”, he said.
Recall that gunmen , on Monday, attacked policemen on duty at Orji road, Owerri, killing four and carting away their rifles.