Unknown gunmen on Tuesday burnt an elderly woman to death and razed several houses at Amagu Ihube community in Okigwe Local Government Area of Imo State.
Among the houses burnt were the home of the Imo State commissioner for Youths and Sports, Emeka Okoronkwo; the home of a former Dean of the Law Faculty of the Imo State University, Owerri, Nnamdi Obiaraeri.
Obiaraeri served as the Commissioner for information, youth and sports and land and urban planning, respectively, during the administrations of former governors, Ikedi Ohakim and Rochas Okorocha.
The home of a retired Director of the Department of State Services, Emeka Ngwu was also set ablaze. It was said that the elderly woman was at Ngwu’s residence.
Two houses whose owners are yet to be identified were also burnt.
Reacting to the development, the Imo State Police Public Relations officer, Henry Okoye, linked the attacks to the members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.
The Police said: “On 21/02/2023 at about 0530hrs, the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra,IPOB, and its armed affiliate, Eastern Security Network attacked and burnt the house of the following at Ihube, Okigwe. Barr. Obinna Obiaraeri; Emeka Okoronkwo, ‘the Commissioner for Youth and Sport Imo State; Chukwu Emeka Jude Ngwu, the former Director of State Services, DSS, while one Grace Ngwu who was in the House of the former DSS Director during the attack was burnt beyond recognition.
“DPO Okigwe and his team on receipt of the report swiftly mobilized to the scene, recovered the deceased and deposited it at the mortuary. A preliminary investigation is ongoing. Intelligence-led patrol intensified to unravel the identities of the perpetrators of this dastardly act, arrest and bring them to justice. The case will be transferred to State CID for further investigations,” the Police said.
Ifunanya Ikueze is an Engineer, Safety Professional, Writer, Investor, Entrepreneur and Educator.
