From George Onyejiuwa, Owerri
There was pandemonium Friday morning at Okpala community in Ngor – Okpala council area of Imo state as gunmen shot dead no less than five police officers including a couple .
The incident which happened at the Okpala Junction along the Owerri – Aba road caused stampede as traders at the junction scampered for safety, brought commercial activities at the bustling junction which is also a direct link to Aboh Mbaise council .
Saturday Sun reliably gathered that the gunmen disclose that the deceased police men had come from the Aboh Mbaise Divisional Headquarters to Okpala junction to refresh unknown to them that gunmen he who said may have apparently trailed them opened fire on them ,and thereafter made away with the rifles of the deceased officers .
Nwaneri Amadi ,an indigene of Umuagu Okpala community close to Okpala junction told our Correspondent that they people were gripped with fear when they heard sporadic gun shots at the junction and that the people quickly ran into their houses and bolted their doors not knowing what is happening . He said it was later when he came out after the shooting had died down that he discovered that some police men had been shot dead .
According , ” This morning at about 8 am we heard gun shots because my village Umuagu is very close to the junction .We were all afraid as people ran into their houses and bolted their doors thinking that a robbing operation is going on because we experience this most of the times. But when the shooting stopped and I came that I learnt that police officers were killed by gunmen . They said that the killed police officers were from Aboh Mbaise Divisional Headquarters . As you know the Okpala junction is T- junction along the Aba – Owerri road ,and .a direct link to Aboh Mbaise . Our major fear now is that the police will start to arrest innocent people who have nothing to do with this unfortunate incident while those who committed this actrocity are far away . He lamented .
Also, Mr and Mrs Chinaka Nwagu from Amankwo Okpala community were also killed while minding their provision shop at the junction .
However , as at press time the Spokesman of the Imo state police Command Henry Okoye is yet to respond to enquires from our correspondent .