4 Killed In Imo Bandit Attacks

Four persons have been killed in bandit attacks in Imo State, as the level of attacks, which had reduced

drastically, has resurfaced in the last two months.
The most recent occurred in the Ngor Okpala local government area of the state, resulting in one death, with nine persons kidnapped and several others sustaining various degrees of injuries.

Three other persons lost their lives in other attacks within the area.
Speaking with LEADERSHIP weekend, a resident, Uzoma Merenini, advised the state government to beef up security within the rural communities.

According to him, there is an urgent need for security presence in all the localities in the state.
“As Christmas approaches, there is an urgent need for security presence within the various localities in the state. Our people are coming home for Christmas, and if there are no security presence, people will be living in fear of the unknown.

“If there is no adequate security presence, this may discourage people from coming home and those that brace the odds will be living in fear of the unknown,” he said.

The Imo State Police Command has said that, as part of efforts to curb kidnapping and other violent crimes along the Owerri-Aba Expressway, it has set up a high-powered team led by the Commissioner of Police, CP Aboki Danjuma.

The command inspected suspected kidnappers’ hideouts in Umuhu Autonomous Community in Ngor-Okpala, following credible intelligence on Stanley Morocco Oparaugo, currently at large.

This was made known by the Police Public Relations Officer, Henry Okoye, during an interaction with LEADERSHIP Weekend.

According to him, the delegation included the Commissioner for Health, Dr Chioma Egu; the chief pathologist of Imo State Specialist Hospital, Dr Ibeaja Okechukwu; members of the Ngor Okpala Vigilante Group, led by Mr Henry Ikpe; and the chairman of Ngor Okpala LGA, Hon (Mrs) Chika Ibekwe.