Gunmen suspected to be hired assailants have killed two prominent community youth leaders in Isiala Mbano area of Imo State.
Photo used for illustrative purposes only
Two community youth leaders in Eke Obollo in the Isiala Mbano Local Government Area of Imo state, were on Monday night, killed by gunmen suspected to be hired assailants.
While speaking to a Punch correspondent, eyewitnesses said on Tuesday that the four gunmen operating in a jeep shot and killed Uzoma Ebo, popularly known as Van Dan and another youth leader simply identified as Chinedu, a.k.a Master, at 8:15pm.
The sources said that the youths were shot dead at a pub known as Okeosisi bar in the community, adding that the gunmen on arriving the scene started shooting indiscriminately into the air before killing their targets.
“On arrival, the gunmen shot repeatedly into the air, apparently to scare people away. They went straight to where Ebo, one of the youth leaders of the community was having his drink and shot him continuously on his hand and abdomen until died.
“They equally shot another youth leader, Chinedu, on his chest until he died. On confirming their deaths, the suspected assailants zoomed off in their jeep immediately,” one of the sources said.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Andrew Enwerem, who confirmed the killings of the youths on Tuesday, said that the operatives of the command quickly mobilised to the scene of the crime.
“Immediately we got information that some gunmen had killed two youths of Obollo in the Isiala Mbano LGA, the commissioner of police, Chris Ezike, swiftly dispatched a team of Crack police officers to the crime scene,” Enwerem said.
The Police spokesperson said that before the arrival of the policemen, the gunmen had fled the area.
He informed that the police had intensified investigation and had cordoned off the crime scene with the view of apprehending the masterminds of the gruesome killings.