Nigeria: Gunmen kill driver, kidnap passengers in Imo
By Zuleihat Owuiye, Mamos Nigeria
Gunmen suspected to be herdsmen have killed a truck driver and kidnapped passengers in an 18-seater bus along the Aba-Owerri road in Imo State. The incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon and left road users stranded and terrified.
Eyewitness Ugo Okere described the scene: “Gunmen jumped out from the bush, shooting sporadically, and shot dead a truck driver. They then commandeered an 18-seater bus with passengers and disappeared into the bushes.”
The police have confirmed the incident and launched a manhunt to apprehend the fleeing gunmen and rescue the kidnapped passengers.
In a separate incident, suspected members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) set ablaze over 20 vehicles along the Okigwe-Umuahia Expressway. The attackers also shot sporadically, causing panic and chaos, and stopped traffic for hours.
The police spokesperson, DSP Henry Okoye, confirmed that IPOB and Eastern Security Network (ESN) members were responsible for the attack. The police have initiated a comprehensive operation to track down and arrest the suspects.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Aboki Danjuma, led a joint tactical team to the scene, providing immediate support to victims and initiating operations to apprehend the suspects. The security agencies have restored normalcy to the area, and traffic is moving with a heavy security presence.
